More to The Story Part 2
by Sally Hartley
Summary: Part 2 of More to The Story. It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of Desolation of Smaug, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters. Could turn into M rating later.
1. Chapter 1

Part 2 of More to The Story. It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of Desolation of Smaug, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.

 _Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…_

I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.

The house sat back off the road at least fifty yards. It was ordinary looking with a lovely yard with flowers and bright green grass. It had two levels above the ground and an unfinished basement. The siding was blue with white shutters and a white door to compliment. The large fireplace was definitely a selling point for them. All that was missing from the picture perfect American muggle home was a white picket fence. Not that it was needed. It was barely visible because all of the trees and landscaping to block the sound of traffic from the road. The family needed and desired some privacy from wandering eyes. But should they wish to have guests, it was not overly difficult to locate. The beautiful landscaping did not just block the sights and sound from the road, it also concealed the magic that would sometimes escape from the windows, doors, and fireplace.

A tall, pale, bald man dressed in charcoal robes appeared with a loud echoing crack on the doorstep. He pressed the doorbell and listened to the music summon the current inhabitants. For a man, if you could still call him a man, who is legendary for being so horrible that no one dared speak his name, seeing him bob his head to the jingle was amazingly comical. The sound of shuffling footsteps from inside paused his movements and regain his tranquil terrifying composure.

The door swung open and the apprentice, Septimus, was also wearing in dark robes stood there to greet the unexpected guest. Any muggle would think that both men at the door were dressed very odd. But the man who answered the door was different, foreign, other worldly perhaps. He was of average height, with shoulder length light brown hair. One of his eyes was complete white and blind, the other icy blue. His face was nearly always frowning. He appeared to be ready to tell the intruder off, but his good eye immediately went wide and he looked straight to the floor. He stepped aside, bowing as he allowed the guest to come inside.

"Please come in, my lord." Septimus checked for more people before hurriedly shutting the door and locking it.

The living room was decorated with tastefully neutral comfy furniture, but many colored pillows and an area rug to compliment. Family photos, both wizard and muggle, hung on the walls. There was a large wood piano against the wall next to the fire place. A bookshelf that was nearly full. And a large flat box against another wall with a bunch of cords coming out of it. It would have looked completely normal, if only they had taken the time to ensure **all** of the blood was cleaned from the surfaces.

"May I bring you a refreshment, my lord?"

"No. I wish to speak with Milhauke right away." Voldemort surveyed the living room trying to decide where to sit.

"Yes, my lord. I will inform Master Milhauke that you are here." Septimus scurried deeper into the house.

It did not take but a moment for Milhauke to enter the living room behind the guest. Milhauke had long hair, half black and half gray, with small dark brown narrowed eyes. His features were perfectly chiseled and clean shaved with strong expression lines and wrinkles from age. He wore a cardinal tunic that was belted around his waist with brown trousers. His stolen wand safely secured in one of his boots.

"Welcome, my lord." Milhauke bowed. "What an unexpected surprise. It's an honor to have you here."

"Yes it is." Voldemort turned around gracefully and his charming smile almost humanized his snake-like features. "Yet, I sense my presents is unwelcome."

"Never unwelcome, my lord. Only stunned that you came all this way. Normally I humbly travel to you." Milhauke was able to smoothly talk his way out of the trap.

Voldemort scrutinized the Middle Earth wizard before choosing to move on. "I have never been to the States before."

"Would you like to see the garden?" Milhauke offered to escort the way. "The gatekeeper and her husband surprisingly maintained the yard in a lovely-,"

"No," Voldemort sat down on the loveseat and immediately changed to the cushioned high back chair. "I came here for a purpose, Milhauke."

"Oh?" Milhauke sat down the next chair with a small end table between them. He nodded to Septimus to serve fire whisky.

"My death eaters and I had been chasing Potter. We just missed him as he traveled to a safe house. But now I have control of the Ministry and he has no where to hide. Is your legion ready?"

"My source is on her way to the Lonely Mountain as we speak. She will enter the mountain, get the book, and return it to me."

"Who is your source? How do you know for certain that she will return?"

"When I killed the gatekeeper and her husband, the daughter Jordan came home. I cursed her as a child and she is bound to me until I remove it or it's broken. She is the one doing my bidding. As extra insurance for her return, I have someone of great value to her in my care. I promised her brother, alive, in exchange for the book."

"You used a curse that can be broken?" Voldemort voice calmly rose.

Milhauke smiled. "All records of my magic have been long forgotten or destroyed. It is nearly impossible to stuy. My curse was effectively simple. Not to mention it has marked her as my drudge. Only my allies can see the markings, unless I reveal it. It will keep her protected until she returns. The book will be of great value to you in enhancing your power. No creature will be able to stand against you."

"I believe you, Milhauke. The time is drawing near that my forces will prove their loyalty to me. When I face the Potter boy, I want everyone to know of my strength and power as I kill him. The prophecy will be fulfilled. Soon, I will have control over all Ministries and I will expand to Middle Earth next."

"I only wish to caution you, my lord. It will not be so easy to take over Middle Earth." Milhauke explained. "There is the Necromancer to deal with, and the elf kingdoms will be extensive force to take down; as well as the White Council, and the Istari. The dwarves should not be much of a concern since they will keep to themselves. They will fall without too much difficulty. You will have to aid of the Orcs and goblins, but if you are able to persuade the kingdoms of men to join you, your upstart will be much more simple. Men are so easily manipulated." Milhauke spoke confidently now. This information was valuable and sweet sounding.

Voldemort sat more comfortably in his chair, thinking over all he had learned. "When will your drudge return?"

"I am expecting her soon. I gave her a time limit and it is nearly up."

"And what will you do if she does not return?"  
Milhauke smiled. "I will use your lessons you taught me. I have already done it once and we had a nice little chat. I think it is time for me to revisit her mind and remind her that her time is running out."

"That would be a wise decision, Milhauke. I feel, however, that I need to be clear in my demands." Voldemort stood up, caressing his wand with his long finger. "I will call upon you very soon for your forces to do my bidding and enforce the new rule. I expect you to be ready. If you are not able to deliver what you have promised, you will have wished that you stayed hidden in Middle Earth, and praying for death."

Milhauke also stood from his chair, humbly keeping his head lowered. "You have nothing to fear from me, my lord. Even if she is not here on time, I will still be by your side."

"You'd better." Voldemort warned before he apparated from the house with a loud crack.

The tension in the room dissolved into fear. Milhauke needed that book. He needed it if he wanted Voldemorts help in defeating the Necromancer, also known to a few as Sauron. Then he would aid him in taking over Middle Earth. When he had complete control, Milhauke would kill him, and have control of both worlds. He had many obstacles to over come. And that is all he saw them as, obstacles. Except the Gatekeepers, he old friend Ruben and his wife, Pricilla. They were his personal priority to take down. He wanted to kill the whole family, saving Ruben for last, and slowly. He would suffer in every way possible. Oh yes, he would suffer.

Septimus interrupted his thoughts. He was careful with his presence and words, knowing how temperamental his master was after speaking with the Dark Lord. This time was no different. The visit had not been terrible, just unexpected. "Sire? Is there anything I can do for you?" He dared to ask.

"No," Milhauke answered. "I am lost in thought as I decide where to go from here. I need that book. And I need it now. I think I need to send a message to my delivery girl." The old wizard walked to a door that lead to the basement. "I believe she needs a reminder of her task."

Magically unlocking the door, both Milhauke and Septimus stood before the battered and thinning young man changed to the wall. He was sitting against the cold stone and refused to look up at his captors. His face was hidden by dark short stubble. His clothes were dirty and starting to become too big for his once muscular body.

"Hello, Blair." Milhauke greeted. The young man did not reply so he continued. "I bet your sister is worried about you. I was just about to check in with her to see how she is dong. Would you like to see her?" He did not wait for a reply as he closed his eyes concentrating and breathing calmly. Focusing on his magic, he used the curse and made the connection, calling out, "Jordan?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

 _What did you see?_ Jordan asked, noting the faint dread in her expression.

The company was standing on the plateau called Carrock where the magnificent Eagles dropped them. The Lonely Mountain was a wonderful sight to bestow upon. It gave them hope that they were so close and that their goals were within reach.

"We need to move, now!" Karah pleaded loudly. Everyone turned around, perplexed by her ruining the moment. "We can't stay here out in the open. The Orcs are searching for us."

Thorin turned around and nodded his understanding. Just as he was slow to trust Bilbo, he was trusting Karah and her sight. He pointed for them to start their decent from the plateau. He refused Oin's care until they were under better cover. Being in the open made them too vulnerable. He motioned for Gloin to take the lead followed by Nori, Balin, Dori, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Bilbo, Kili, Fili, himself, Dwalin, Oin, Karah, Jordan, Bifur, and Gandalf. Due to the severity of his injuries, Thorin chose to stay to the back of the company and let the faster ones go first. Oin stayed close in case he was needed.

Dwalin remained behind him, keeping an eye on his leader. He knew that Thorin's pride and perseverance would keep him moving. However, if push came to shove, Dwalin was not above knocking Thorin unconscious and carrying him until he healed enough.

It was a while before anyone spoke. The morning had passed on and they managed to get some distance away from help distract himself from the pain, a rare occasion, Thorin seemed inclined to talk. He had noticed the witches still have not really communicated with each other in hours. Normally they were unnaturally noisy and one of them was a mute! He found it odd that most of the time he wished for quite, but even their chatter would be welcome to keep his mind away from his struggle. Most of the company would be saved from this instigation, except for him, Dwalin, Oin, Bifur, and Gandalf. The rest would probably not notice and enjoy the quiet. It was times like these that reminded him of the mischief that he, his brother Frerin, and Dis got themselves into. There would be no mistake where Fili and Kili got their ideas from. Both boys got their father's charm, humor, quick wit, and many other things. But mischief making, that came from the Durin side; they just took it to a new level. Then it dawned on him that his nephews were not at the witches' sides. He wondered if Bifur made them separate. A small smile spread over Thorin's lips over his family, and what he was about to do.

"What's so amusing?" Dwalin observed when Thorin look back his way.

"I was just thinking how quiet it's been," Thorin brought to light. Dwalin came to walk next to him. They both glanced back at Jordan and Karah out of the corners of their eyes. The witches had yet to notice.

Dwalin caught onto what Thorin was thinking and smirked. "It's been blissful."

Seeing both of the leaders turn and look at them, the witches could not help but eavesdrop.

"Have you ever noticed that there are not many sole woman rulers, Dwalin?" Thorin asked.

Dwalin shook his head. "No, but I guess I've never really given it much thought. Probably just as well. There may not be as much war, and for the most part that's a good thing. But I would be out of work!"

"Aye, but then again nothing would ever get done. There would be many kingdoms feuding, with none of them speaking to each other because of their silly women issues."

Both Karah and Jordan glared at him. Dwalin, and Oin were laughing; Fili and Kili were trying not to, and so undoubtedly the rest of the company must have heard as well. They as a whole, at least kept their mouths shut being either: too tired, did not care, or knew better than to invoke their wrath. Just the same, the company was curious on what would happen next.

Sure, the witches were agitated with each other; and now Thorin and Dwalin. For the while they were not speaking to each other. They did not think that the company would really care. However, under mutual agreement, Jordan and Karah decided to find a way to tell him to shove off. They just had different ideas on how to make that happen. Jordan waited until everyone was looking ahead and pulled her wand out. Bifur clamped his hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

 _Don't worry,_ Bifur signed. _What goes around comes around. Luck will be on your side soon enough._

That did not satisfy Jordan at all. _Yup, because I believe in making my own luck._ Jordan responded, but Karah was one step ahead of her.

"Master Thorin," Karah sweetly called to him as she came up beside him. "I see that you have some cuts on you, and your finger looks dislocated, and you have blood on face. Let me get that for you." She did not give him a chance to argue. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at his finger. "Episkey."

"Ow!" Thorin yelped when his finger popped into place. He was astonished at first that her magic worked so well. Then he glared at her as he waved the pain away, but that did not stop her from continuing to use magic that would make him sore as he healed. Thankfully, Karah did not try to heal his bite marks from the white warg. Though she may not have known they were there in the first place. When she was done, he ached but she reassured him that was normal and it would go away in a few hours. His body just needed to adjust. She turned on Dwalin and healed him too before he could protest. At least he would not suffer alone.

 _Nicely done, lass._ Bifur praised. He grinned at Thorin who saw their interaction. _You deserved that._

 _Aren't I in enough pain without her help?_ Thorin responded disgruntled. He turned back around, somewhat pleased that the witches were going back to normal. He heard them offer each other some assistance. He witnessed them cast some spells that repaired some ripped clothes and bags to the unexpected company. Once they realized what was happening, the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf requested specific mending.

The day carried on, yet they dared not stop for very long. Only to get some water at a near by stream and eat. Oin was able to see to the other's injuries with the help of Karah. Thorin kept his distance from her, because he did not want to receive any more of her vengeance. The rest of the company was quite grateful to have Jordan remove some of the dirt from their clothes at each stop.

Bifur kept a close eye on the witches. He knew that Fili and Kili had taken a strong liking to them. He did not worry about the girls with them because the Durin brothers were honorable, for the most part. What worried him was how distant they had all become, especially Jordan. She did not talk to anyone. He guessed that she was still upset about what happened on the cliffs of the Misty Mountains with the orcs. She had every right to be upset, given the circumstances. Hell, even he was still upset! He just hoped that they young ones would be able to work through their contradictions. He silently promised to give them, particularly Jordan, some space before he intervened. If nothing had changed by the time they stopped for the night, he would intervene. He would just be more tactful than his king.

The long day passed and the sun was beginning to set. The company had traveled many miles on foot and ready to make camp. They were still in a forest, but hid in a rock and boulder garden; concealing them from all possible angles. Since Bilbo was the least injured out of all of them, and Thorin's trust was now equal to the rest of the dwarves, he sent the hobbit to scout the area. The rest of the company began to set up for their meal, wash up in the nearby creek, and fill their water supply. The witches walked off on their own for privacy, but kept close enough to call for help.

(Break)

Karah and Jordan went off a few yards down the creek, doing the best they could to heal their own injuries and burns, clean their clothes. During their travels they focused on everyone else and put their own needs aside. They still had not worked out their problems and the tension was still thick between them. Jordan disappeared down the hill, leaving Karah to herself.

Karah was still wearing her clothes that she put on in Rivendell. They were positively filthy! Taking off the quilted black vest, her tennis shoes, and socks, and rolled her jeans up to her knees, she stepped in the creek and splashed the cold water on her face and arms. She really wanted to jump in the water and take a real bath, but there was not time for that now. Her hair was all over the place and tangled. While brushing and pulling it back into a ponytail, she thought about the last day and half and how crazy it had been. It started off simple enough, then it all went down hill when the storm struck and the stone giants battled each other, then captured by goblins, learning that Kili was a prince, being chased by orcs, flying on the backs of giant eagles. What's next?

She knew she should not feel bothered that Kili and Fili were princes. Since she decided that she should be single for a while, it should not be upsetting her in the least. But it did. In the bottom of her heart, she had hoped that one day, they might be able to have some kind of relationship. However, given that he is royalty, she did not think it was possible. It did not bother her in the slightest that they were of different races. What she knew of dwarves physically: shorter than humans, well most were with the exception of Dwalin who was taller than both witches, more hair, bigger boned, longer life span. But their anatomy and biology was pretty similar to humans. So the problem with a possible relationship lies in the fact that she was not of nobility.

Jordan would understand her thoughts and feelings. Karah assumed it probably bothered her even more because she was so prideful in being American. It was almost an insult to be called royalty in the United States. Well it was in the muggle world. Blood statues in the wizard world was determined on how far back in the family magic went; it had nothing to do with royalty.

And her personal problems in retrospect were not the real worry here. Her vision while standing on Carrock came to the front of her mind. She remembered Bilbo's remark about 'the worst being behind them' would not be so. In her vision, she saw fire burning a town to ash, tasting the soot and smelling the smoke in the air. She heard screaming from the people of that town. They were trying to get to safety as well as recover all they had lost. Terrible things were going to happen. And with no evidence on what would cause them, or how to stop it, horror and worry plagued her.

(Break)

Jordan was still seething with anger with every step she took. It would be a while before her anger dissipated and she wanted to find a tree to climb. They were her favorite places for solitude and she could keep watch for anyone or anything that came their way. She found a tall tree with branches low enough for her to reach. She sat and looked out on the scenery of the night. At the moment it was peaceful and the nightlife was only starting to emerge.

Thinking about everything that had happened, it was amazing that everyone was alive and in one piece; well in Thorin's case, a little holey. She was relieved the Karah was okay and delighted in how she made Thorin pay for his rude remarks. Obviously he said them on purpose to get them to speak to each other again. Not that she could wrap her mind around why he bothered in the first place. She did not think he really cared about what went on between them. She decided that when she climbed down, Jordan would apologize to Karah for her behavior.

Next, her mind wondered to Fili, and the big secret he kept from her. Now her anger shifted to him! A prince of all titles to have! Now she understood why Thorin behaved like a king; because he was a king. And since he made no mention of children, she wondered if Fili and Kili were next in line for the throne. Oh, boy! If her brother knew she had a crush on a prince, or king-in-training, he would never let her live it down. Not to mention her American pride was screaming at her for getting involved with royalty. Her anger and blame was making her tired, but she could not give them up. If she did, it would turn to sorrow. And she just did not have time for that!

" _Jordan?" that sinister voice called to her._

The scenery blurred and refocused in a different location. Physically, Jordan's body was still sitting in the tree. But her eyes and mind were looking around in her family's home, in the Michigan-basement. It was dark, cold, and humid with concrete walls and floor. Only used for storage and laundry. Her parents talked about finishing it many times, yet other things always came before it.

 _"Welcome home, my dear_." Milhauke stepped out of the shadow of the door with his one-eyed minion standing next to him. They stood in front of the stairs that lead up to the door to the rest of the house.

 _ **What do you want?**_ _Jordan scowled at him._

 _The old man shook his head, "tsk tsk, Jordan. Is that any way to speak to your elders?"_

 _She crossed her arms over her chest, discretely feeling her wand in her arm sheath, grateful that it was there. With about eight feet between them, it was easy to examine their tense body language. Each waiting for someone to make the first move, ready to strike them down. Milhauke was holding in his anger but his patience was running low. Septimus was eyeing her like a starving dog, almost challenging her to attack. Jordan did the best she could to stay calm and kept her expression blank._

 _"Where are you in your travels?" Milhauke finally demanded._

 _Jordan breathed in through her nose before signing._ _ **We just passed the Misty Mountains. We were captured by goblins and then attacked by orcs. Things have been a little chaotic.**_

 _Both men looked at her completely baffled, then at each other, then back at her._

 _"Where is that blasted grease board you write on?" Milhauke snapped at her._

 _Jordan half smiled through her glare._ _ **Well I would vocally speak to you but it seems-.**_

 _"Enough!" Milhauke shouted, cutting her off._

 _"She said 'they passed the Misty mountains. Before that captured by goblins and attacked by orcs." A raspy, pained voice clarified._

 _Jordan whipped out her wand and shined light to the direction it came from. Blair was chained to the wall. She tried to go to him when the familiar electric torture pulsated and zapped her body. Her mouth opened like she was screaming, her eyes bulged out first in shock then shut to fight back; the veins on her neck were showing in her agony._

 _"Stop please!" Blair begged and fought though his chains._

 _"Pull her away from him, Septimus." Milhauke placidly commanded and ceased his torture._

 _Septimus was not gentle with his handling. He picked up her hands, lifting her enough that her shoulders were just off the ground, and dragged her away from Blair. The pain made her lucid and she did fight or pull away from him. He let go of her hands and let them fall in a heap. Some hair fell over her face, shielding her eyes. He bent down, and gently brushed the locks to the side. His lips formed a cold tender smile that only she saw._

 _That worried and frightened her more than Milhauke's torture. He was planning something, that he alone knew about. What could he possibly be thinking? There was nothing more Jordan could do for the pair of vile sorcerers than what they already agreed to. Her eyes blazed at him with deep loathing as he stood up. He stayed close by as to warn her to stay where she was and not try anything else. No matter how much she wanted to beat him to a pulp to wipe that smirk off his face, Jordan would not put Blair in even more danger._

 _"As you can obviously tell," Milhauke stepped into her line of vision. "Your body may be hiding in a tree in a forest of Middle Earth, but I'm inside your mind and can bring you into my reality."_

 _Jordan did not say anything. She just stared at the ceiling, trying not to move._

 _"Now Blair, be a good chap and translate for your sister. Jordan, I would encourage you to not try another stunt like that again. Tell me where are you in your travels?"_

 _Jordan had a hard time signing, but managed to keep it simple. Blair spoke, "go to Mirkwood."_

 _"Ah," Milhauke smiled. "Then you shall go onto Lake-Town where your grandparents last settled."_

 _"And then onto Erebor." Septimus finished gleefully._

 _"Your nearly half way there. Mirkwood is quite large. I suspect that you may run into some trouble if the elves happen upon you. But your family name should get you through without much difficulty." Milhauke stated. "You may not be aware of the situation here in your wizard world, my dear, so I will enlighten you. War is on the horizon. The Dark Lord, Voldemort, has taken control of the British Ministry of Magic and will need all support to take down his enemies. I need that book in order to best support him. Do you know what day it is, Jordan?"_

 _She barely lifted her hand to sign._ _ **No.**_

 _"It's August 13_ _th_ _." Setpimus answered for her._

 _Milhauke kneeled down to her, and took her chin painfully in his hand to force her to look at him. "The Potter boy has gone missing and the Dark Lord is searching everywhere for him. And when he kills him, he will have complete control of the wizard world. He will turn to Middle Earth as his next conquest. I will be his second in command and we will destroy anyone who stands in our way. You have until he finds that boy to bring me the book. I suggest you do not dawdle. Because if I don't have it in my possession beforehand, I will make you watch as I kill your brother, the rest of your family, and save you and your grandfather for last." He stood up, raised his hands to both siblings, and tortured them at the same time. He kept it up long enough to emphasize his point. "Don't keep me waiting."_


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

"Jordan!" Karah called loud enough to carry her voice but not so much that it could alert an enemy lurking about. She had climbed a tree in her search and held tight to the branches so she would not fall. She was not the climber that her cousin was and knew that was where she needed to keep eyes open too. Bifur searched from the ground, following her trail. They both saw and heard her at the same time. "Bifur! Over there!" Karah pointed.

The dwarf looked to where Karah was pointing and ran to Jordan's tree. It was shaking fiercely as she clutched it for dear life. It was like she was having a seizure. He was about to climb up when Jordan let go and started to fall from her branch. It was not a quick, as she hit many limbs. He was able to catch her so she did not land on the hard ground. Carefully, he cradled her in his arms before he laid her down to check for injuries. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was quite labored. He shook her shoulders and pattered her cheeks to wake her. His worry was that of a father and he thought she might be out for a while.

Immediately feeling his hands on her, Jordan's eyes shot open. She grabbed his fingers tried to bend them backwards. He ripped himself away and sat back while she got her bearings. When she calmed down and recognized him, she signed her apology and accepted his help to sit up. He smiled down at her, happy that she was alright, and proud that she would do everything she could to defend herself.

"Jordan, what happened?" Karah asked out of breath from running to her.

Jordan would have groaned if they could hear it. _I had a nightmare._

"You feel asleep in the tree?" Karah was dumbfounded by that notion.

 _Impressive._ Bifur nodded. _Are you hurt?_

 _I don't know._ **Oh yeah.** Jordan thought. Her insides were screaming at her, but she had to pretend otherwise. She rubbed her eyes and checked over the outside of body. There were new cuts and welts dotting her skin from her fall. She touched her cheek and felt a bump starting to form. Her hands were numb from clutching the branch so tightly. And she had a large scrape on her non-tattooed forearm. Her chin and jaw were still sore from where Milhauke pinched her face.

"Let's get back to the others, and we can patch you up there." Karah decided. She took Jordan's bag from her shoulder while Bifur helped her to her feet.

Jordan tried to walk but the pain Milhauke inflicted made it difficult. He tortured her twice this time, each longer than the last. The first time he ever did it only lasted a couple seconds. He wanted her to have a taste for what would happen if she displeased him. Now, every time he did it, he dragged it out a little longer. She could not tell anyone what happened, it would lead to too many questions. They could not find out what she was up too. They might try to stop her, and her brother and the rest of the family would be murdered. She did not care what happened to herself anymore.

 _I just need to sit for a few minutes._ Jordan stated and found a rock to rest.

Bifur and Karah waited until she was ready, and stood when she did. Bifur saw that she was close to stumbling, so he took her arm over his shoulder. At first she tried to push away, but soon realized she would not get too far without help. With his other hand, Bifur firmly held onto her waist to keep her upright as they walked.

It was a good thing they did not have far to go. They found the company still eating and tending to their own duties. They all looked up at the three returning, wondering what happened. Bifur sat Jordan down in the middle of the group for protection purposes; Karah and Oin moving in to treat her. Fili and Kili had just emerged from using the bushes when they saw Jordan being cared for.

"What happened?" Kili asked Karah, watching the scape on her arm shrink and disappear by magic.

Karah next pointed her wand at Jordan's bruised cheek. "She said she had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?" Kili repeated with confusion. "How would you get all these injuries from a nightmare?"

Fili kept his gaze on Jordan, waiting for a reply. His anxieties growing with each unanswered moment. Seeing her like this, not being there for her, he felt like he was failing to keep his promise to protect her and help her with her burdens. He wanted to comfort her, and take away all of the bad things that had happened to her.

Bifur grunted to get their attention. _She fell asleep in a tree… And then fell out of it._

"Another nightmare?" Fili looked back to Jordan. It was obvious that she was a little out of it. However, she would not even look in his direction. It was like she was avoiding his gaze; hiding from him completely. He could feel it. He wondered if it was the same nightmare she had back in Rivendell. He remembered how scared she was, crying in his arms. Forcing her to acknowledge him, he sat down on the rock next to her. Taking her hand, not caring about what Bifur or anyone else thought. "Your safe from them, Jordan."

 **Apparently not.** Jordan thought to herself. She looked at his face and saw the concern he had. It was touching, but then she remembered that she was mad at him. Only she was too tired and aching too much to show it. _Thank you._ She signed to everyone. She looked down at hers and Fili's hand, let go of it, and walked to Bombur who was handing out food rations. **Might as well end it now before it will** _ **really**_ **hurt later.**

"Where is Bilbo? Is he not back yet?" Karah asked Bofur who was standing closet to her who just shook his head with worry.

(Break)

Bilbo was crouched between two boulders, trying to make himself as small as possible as to not be seen by the enemy he was spying. Azog huffed and glared around looking for a sign that Thorin and the company were close by. Seeing nothing, the pale orc kicked his mount into motion and they disappeared over a ledge. Bilbo felt safe enough to climbed out of his hiding place. He adjusted his coat, ready to return to the others when he heard a new growling and snarling quite close to him.

Peering around another large rock, he found the source of the terrifying noise. It was a huge black bear! With the fur on his spine standing straight up, he stomped his paws and gnashed his teeth at the fleeing orcs. Almost like he was daring them to come closer. Luckily for Bilbo, it's back was turned on him so the bear did not see the hobbit dash out of sight.

Upon returned to the company, he found the them checking over their weapons, visiting the bushes, looking over injuries, and munching on a small meal. A few had even dared to quickly bath in the creek. The witches had done everything they could to help clean their clothes, but it was not the same as a good washing. Every time one of the Durin brothers tried to get near them, they would put more space between them.

"Are you alright? How close is the pack?" Thorin asked.

"I'm fine. But they're too close!" Bilbo gasped out of breath. He was careful not to leave a trail for anyone to follow, but that made his return more difficult. "A couple of leagues, no more. But that's not the worst of it."

Dwalin assumed what the hobbit was about to say. "Have the wargs picked up our scent? They can smell scents from great distances."

Bilbo shook his head as he bent over, resting his hands on his knees. "Not yet, but they will soon. We have another problem."

Gandalf also jumped to a conclusion. "Did they see you? They saw you!"

"No, that's not it." Bilbo was becoming exasperated.

The grey wizard smiled with satisfaction. "What did I tell you? Quiet as a mouse, just like I said." He praised and the company shared in the joy. The witches smiled at him, glad that the company was finally accepting him. "Excellent burglar material."

"Will you listen to me?" Bilbo begged but no one was paying him any mind. More loudly he pleaded, "will you just listen!?" That got everyone's attention and he pointed in the direction that he came from. "I'm trying to tell you there is something else out there."

The whole company's joy deflated like dying balloon.

"What form did it take?" Gandalf asked, breaking the silence. "Like a bear?"

"Yes!" Bilbo was shocked that he guessed dead on. The company went from looking at Bilbo, to Gandalf, back to Bilbo. "Yes but bigger, much bigger than the average bear!"

Bofur stepped forward accusingly. "You knew about this beast?"

Back to Gandalf. The grey wizard looked where Bilbo pointed. Sucking in air through his nose and out of his mouth, he attempted to calm himself.

Bofur spoke again, "I say we double back."

"And be run down by a pack of orcs?" Thorin reminded him with a confused 'are you crazy' look on his face.

"Besides where would we go back too?" Karah voiced.

Kili had come to stand next to her, trying to show that he agreed with her. She eyed him with some contempt before stepping away from him. He was a little shocked at her behavior but did not have the opportunity to say anything. They were definitely going to talk later. He could not figure out what he had done to displease her. If anyone was to be upset, it should be him! He was choosing to put aside his anger that she nearly killed herself and give her the opportunity to explain. The more she pushed him away, the more he was determined to figure out what got her knickers in a twist. He looked to his brother, who shared in his frustration. Jordan had been giving him the cold shoulder as well.

"There is a house," Gandalf interrupted the brainstorming. "It's not far from here, where we _might_ take refuge."

Thorin did not care for where Gandalf was going with this idea. After their time in Rivendell, he was hesitant to quickly agree to the wizard's ideas, not that he had agreed to go there in the first place. "Whose house? Are they friend or foe?"

"Neither. He will help us," Gandalf sighed. "Or, he will kill us."

"What choice do we have?" Thorin scoffed, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders.

GRRRRRRAAAAAAARRRRR! The black bear's menacing roar echoed through the rocks, trees, and bushes. Everyone's eyes nearly popped out of their skulls and held their breath until it was over.

"None." Gandalf stated grimly.

The whole company shot to their feet and gathered their belongings. Jordan and Thorin were still in quite a bit of pain. But being chased by a beast that wants to kill you puts enough adrenaline back in your system to keep you running like an unstoppable train. Once again, they were running for their lives!


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

They started out fleeing silently into the night. None of them had much energy to run at that time. Traveling in the dark took speed, yes, but stealth was more important. When the sun began it's rise, they crossed the creek that they had been following. Soon they were in an open field with lots of white and purple flowers; possibly lavender, but no one had the time to check. It was dangerous in the field and they had to get into cover as soon as possible.

The next tree line was their salvation. It led to rolling hills and a rocky terrain. The trees helped keep them concealed, but they were also more obstacles to run around and jump over. By then, the were jogging at a steady pace to cover ground. The company thought they were safe, and putting some distance between them, the bear, and orcs. Until they heard the gigantic creature roar once again.

GHHHHHHRRRRRRAAAAAAARRRRR!

They had been running down a large hill when they stopped. The whole forest stilled as it listened to the frightening warning. It was close!

"Come on! This way!" Gandalf motioned for them to follow. For an old man, he sure could run fast and for long distances! "Run!"

They did not need to be told twice, well, most of them. Bombur had been paralyzed by fear, his mouth gapping wide, and eyes about to pop out of his skull. Thorin had to grab him by his shirt and beard to get him running again.

Reaching the edge of the forest, they saw the house hidden by a patch of trees in the middle of another field. The trees were surrounded by a fence of green vines and bushes, with an equally large wooden gate. Unless you were looking for it, the house was well hidden.

Somehow, the fear in Bombur made him fly! His legs were working so fast, that he sprinted right past the rest of the surprised company. He was the first inside the grounds of the property and the first one to make it to the house door. However, fear was not so helpful to him this time. Instead of slowing down and unlatching it, Bombur tried to run **through** it! He bounced off of it with such a force, it's a wonder it did not break it off it's hinges. Fili and Kili were right behind, trying to kick and break it down. Their priorities were to get inside, and away from the bear that had exploded from the tree line; using their brains instead of brawl did not register as a better ulternative.

Karah and Jordan were in the middle of the company. Karah saw the struggle and pulled out her wand to unlock it, figuring that was the problem. But Thorin beat her to it by simply lifting the latch. What a concept!

They all piled inside, not really caring where they were going. Immediately they tried to shut the door. Bifur and Bofur had pulled the witches back away from the bear that had its muzzle wedged inside. Gandalf had grabbed Bilbo to keep him safe. The hobbit had pulled out his small sword for the protection, stimulating the witches to point their wands at the snarling and growling animal. Jordan focused her magic and helped shut the door, and Karah enforced the wood barricade with a magical lock. Everyone slumped in relief that the bear was not able to get inside the house. But it was still on the grounds.

Ori was the first to speak. "What is that?"

"That is our host." Gandalf stated with a half smile. All of them turned to look at him in disbelief! It was too much for Jordan, whom was doubled over. "His name is Béorn, and he's a skin changer." He studied the door as if he could see through it and gaze upon the giant black bear.

"What are you laughing about?" Dwalin scoffed at her, apparently she had lost her mind.

Jordan may not have been making any noise, but her body shook as she laughed from her gut. _The look on all of your faces! Priceless! I wish I had my camera ready._

They all stared at her like she had spouted horns out her head. Then Bifur started grunting, that bubbled into laughter, and it was contagious to the rest of them. Even Thorin chuckled. Of course, the situation was far from funny. Being nearly mulled to death by a bear is not something to laugh about. They only thing that humor could come from was the look of fright that was plastered on their faces.

Gandalf continued to explain their terrifying host. "He's a great, strong man, that can transform into a bear. The bear is unpredictable, but the man can be reasoned with. However, he's not overly fond of dwarves."

Fili was glad to see Jordan laughing again. He had come to stand near her and patted her back in encouragement. Only to have his grin fall when she purposely moved out of his reach. He had no idea what was going on with her. His patience was about to snap and frustration boil uncontrollably if he did not get some answers. Karah was behaving the same with Kili. He was determined to get to the bottom of this at the first chance he got. It was early enough in the day that they would have plenty of time before bed to talk. Maybe the ladies just needed sometime to bathe and eat, and they would be much happier and easier to get along with.

"He's leaving." Ori announced quietly. He had not left the door and was peaking through the cracks in the wood.

"Get away from there! He's completely mad or under some dark spell. It's not natural!" Dori scolded and pulled him aside.

"Don't be a fool! That's his race and normal." Gandalf scoffed at him. "Now get some sleep. All of you. You'll be safe here tonight. I hope."

The company explored the large oak wood house. The structure of the it and its furniture suggests that the skin-changer was about the same height as the elves. The large windows allowed the sunlight to reach all of the rooms and open spaces. The detail carved into the wood was beautifully flawless. There was a faint smell of animals in the air, but masked by the flowers and plants that decorated each room. The kitchen had a large cooking fire ready to be used, a table with benches and chairs. The living room had a large comfortable arm chair and with a warm hearth. A single bedroom, washroom, and a whole wing of the house dedicated for all animals.

The stalls with clean hay, water troughs, and a large storage space for grooming necessities and feed. There were all kinds of animals: oxen, sheep, goats, birds in the rafters, a few dogs and cats, many mice.

"Oh my gosh!" Karah cried out rapidly.

The whole company came running, Jordan in the front with her wand out ready to stun. They were all prepared for the worst, not for a girly squeal and smile.

"There's a bathtub!" Karah announced, being the one to find the washroom. She was so happy over the simplicity of being able to properly bath herself that she could barley contain her joy and expecting everyone to share in it. "It's a freakin' bathtub!"

"I guess we know what Lady Witch Karah wants to do." Dwalin rolled his eyes as he left the room. The rest of the company started to follow him with the exception of Jordan, Fili, and Kili.

Karah had pulled out her wand and said the spell for water to appear. She filled the tub while Jordan warmed it.

"You ladies need help with that?" Kili kindly offered stepping close to Karah. "I, well, we could help you with-."

Karah's glare out of the corner of her eye cut him off. She met Jordan's gaze who nodded her agreement. Even though they were still mad at each other, the witches were more upset about the 'princes' deceit. Karah was also upset at her self for breaking her own promise of not getting involved in a romantic relationship. She turned her wand from the tub and intensified the water flow on the princes, soaking them completely.

They were chased out of the bathroom bewildered at what just happened. Bifur heard the whole thing. He came up behind them and smacked both of their heads.

"Serves you right." Bofur raised a brow at them.

Thorin intervened on the lecture. "Get out of those wet clothes and go to the hearth. Gloin has a fire going."

The brothers did as they were instructed, taking off clothing as they walked. There were nails for hanging above the fireplace perfect for their smaller clothing. Luckily they had a least one more set of clothing to put on in the mean time.

"What is going on with them?" Kili asked.

"I'm not sure." Fili shook his head. "They've been acting strange ever since Goblin Town."

Kili rubbed his hands together and hovered them over the flames. "Karah wont speak to me, barely look at me."

"Jordan is doing the same."

"I swear I will never understand women." Kili unclipped his hair and let if all over his shoulders. His desire for a _real_ bath did not make his temper any better. "After dinner I'm going to make her talk to me."

"Absolutely." Fili added.

Bifur must have heard part of the conversation and stood behind them. They did not hear him approach, but when they noticed someone standing behind them, they scooted apart so he would have better access to the warmth. He grunted to get their attention and signed. _I don't know what you two did to upset them. I'm sure I don't want to know. But let them figure out their problems between each other before you confront them._ Both brothers nodded their understanding. _And in case you did not know, I care a great deal for Jordan and that care extends to Karah. While they are with us, they are under my protection. If I find out you did anything unseemly, or hurt them. Erébor will no longer be a concern of yours and will turn you into bear food. Clear?_

Fili and Kili glanced at each other before nodding again. Their hearts dropped to the bottom of their stomachs. They knew that the witches were upset with them. And they were enough of an obstacle. Now, they had to deal with Bifur, turned over protective father, and anyone else who sided with him. Bofur was scowling at them, and Bombur crossed his arms over his chest.

 _Enjoy your afternoon, lads._ Bifur smiled at them. He took his leave to get in line for food.

 **(Break)**

 _I'm sorry, Karah._ Jordan signed when they made eye contact. She let Karah take her bath first. True it was big enough for at least half of the company to bathe in, but Jordan wanted to Karah some peace. There was a large sink that she could use to soak and wash her clothes in while she waited for her turn. She pulled a new outfit and toiletries to use so she would be ready. _I never should have reacted that way to you. I know you were trying to keep me safe. I just couldn't stand the thought of loosing another one of family members and I lost control._

Karah could see the sincerity in her eyes. No doubt what she did in the tree when the orcs were attacking was extremely foolish. But there was no time to think of something else, she simply had to act. "It's alright, Jordan. I'm sure that I would act the same way as you if the roles were switched."

The were silent for the next few minutes. Karah used her special shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, since it had been so long since her last shower. Her skin and hair felt so soft and moisturized after she used them, she knew it would vastly improve her mood. When she was done, she hopped out of the tub, used her wand to evaporate the water, and filled it again for Jordan.

 _So, did you realize that Fili and Kili were princes?_ Jordan asked before getting in the water.

"No. Am I wrong to feel like they lied to us?" Karah asked. She saw that Jordan was about to use a bar of soap to wash her hair. "Here, use these." Karah set her products on the edge. "They are my favorites. They will make your hair and skin softy and tingly."

 _Thank you._ Jordan was excited to try them out. _No, I don't think wrong. I'm upset about it too._

"I know I promised myself that I would not get involved with anyone for a while. But I guess…" Karah started to explain.

Jordan finished for her. _You have feelings for him, don't you?_

Karah nodded. She busied her hands with caring for her clothes like Jordan had. "Am I crazy?"

Jordan rinsed the suds away from her hair and body, then applied the heavy conditioner. _For liking Kili? No. He's wonderful! I think you two would be perfect together. Besides, ever since we watched the movie,_ _Cinderella_ _, you promised yourself that you would marry your prince charming._

"Is it too soon?"

 _Only you can decide that._

"But he's a **real** prince," Karah sighed. "When I said I wanted to marry my 'Prince Charming' I didn't actually mean a prince. I'm not even close to the same social standing as him. Neither one of us are. Do you feel the same way as I, only for Fili?"

Jordan stared into the water. She wanted the conditioner to sit on like a mask for a few minutes. Thinking over how to answer that tricky question. She did not want to lie, but she could not have Karah asking too many questions. _I think, if he was not a prince I would try harder to per sue more than friendship._

"But since he is-."

Jordan interrupted her. _I will say this, that you have to stop worrying about finding prince charming. Because the poor idiot may be stuck in a tree, or troll sack, or being chased by orcs. And you will have to be the one to go save him. And I do mean this literally and figuratively, since Kili is a prince and all of those things have happened to him._ Karah laughed at Jordan's attempt at humor. _As for Fili, It's better to end it now before it really hurts later._ Jordan decided, then submerged under water to rinse her hair. _He will probably marry a princess or someone born to that privilege. So why bother?_

"If you love him-."

Jordan cut her off again. _I'm pretty sure that he is the oldest, and Thorin doesn't have any kids. That probably means that Fili will be king of Erébor. I'm not fit to be his queen._

Karah sighed, not sure what to say at the moment. She could not understand why Jordan thought it was okay for Karah to per sue a relationship with Kili, but pointless for her and Fili. When Jordan had her mind set like this, there was no getting through to her. She would try again when her cousin was calmer.

Getting dressed, she really wanted to put on a sundress that she packed. Sadly, there was not much point when they would be going to bed soon. And she was exhausted. For now, she put on her white lace tank top, with a belted cardigan, and her jeans. She was not ready to put her shoes on yet, so she walked around barefoot. While she waited for Jordan, she had magical dried her hair. Her long dark auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders. She pulled out her sparkly headband to keep it out of her face.

Jordan finished and had dressed in skinny black pants, a black spaghetti strap top, chambray shirt and scarf, with her asymmetrical hair straightened. Her skin and hair felt just like Karah predicted. The bath felt like all her cares were washed away with the sweat, grim, blood, and dirt. She had put her earrings back in, and moisturized her skin, focusing on her tattoos. Her mind was replaying their conversation and it made her heart hurt. She swallowed her pain and put on a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

Everyone took their turn washing their clothes and using the bath. The whole company was grateful to get rid of the stench of themselves and each other. Bombur had made a fine vegetable stew out of ingredients he found in the pantry, kitchen, and garden. In no time at all, everyone was either sitting near the hearth, smoking their pipes, doing their favorite hobbies, or dozing in their sleeping mats. Worry over the orc pack and giant black bear somewhere outside was still on their minds.

Jordan was leaning forward closer to the heat of the fire to ward off the chill that would not leave her. She had caught Fili staring at her, and vice versa. She tried to focus on the dancing flames but was easily distracted. Her mind refused to relax, jumping from one thought to another. She looked over her shoulder at her cousin, deciding that was the safest place for her gaze to linger. Only her eyes continued to traveled past and landed on Dwalin's fists, arms, and head.

His tattoos were quite unique compared to back in the United States. She had no idea what they meant because they appeared to be a script native to Middle Earth, probably dwarvish. She let her own curiosity get the better of her and reached around Karah to tap him on the arm.

 _What do your tattoos mean?_ Jordan asked.

It was normal back home to inquire about the works of art. It did not cross her mind that the dwarves may not do such a thing. Since they were the only ones moving and conversing, all attention went to them.

"Tis a secret lass," Dwalin explained gruffly.

 _Is it because I can't read the script or a secret to everyone?_ Jordan clarified.

"Almost everyone." He reached inside his coat and pulled out a sharpening stone and a small hatchet. He thought that if he busied himself that she would stop talking. He was wrong… way wrong.

 _Then why bother having them? Are you ashamed of them?_

"No, but sometimes things are best kept private. It's the dwarf way to keep secrets. Don't you have any secrets, Lady Witch Jordan?" Dwalin challenged impatiently.

 _Yes, but I don't permanently display them for all to see. The best way to keep secrets is to keep it to yourself. The second best way is to tell only one other, if you must. There is not a third option. That's Rule Number Four._

"And where are these rules displayed?" Balin interjected between puffs of smoke.

 _They're not. They must be told and memorized by heart._

"Or you copy them from a muggle tv show." Karah rolled her eyes. Karah had pulled out her healing book again to study.

 _That doesn't change the valid points._ Jordan replied to her cousin curtly. _Are you trying to cover up a scar?_

"Dwarves don't cover up their scars! They were them with pride!" Gloin announced.

"Here here!" all the dwarves agreed with a small amount of irritation.

Jordan ignored them and waited for the explanation from the second in command, not willing to give up that easy. She kept her eyes locked on him until it made him slightly uncomfortable. He glared at her, and she glared right back. Bifur was sitting behind him in Jordan's line of vision. She could see him telling her to chill out; however his warning was not very convincing behind his soft eyes.

"Alright lass, give it up." Thorin commanded. "He doesn't have to tell you if he does not wish it."

Dwalin finally gave in when she did not let up. "They are memorial markings. I don't wish to forget the suffering of my people and all that I fought for."

Jordan smiled triumphantly. Then she had a thought to help him relax again. _I preformed at a club for muggle soldiers once. Lots of them had memorial tattoos for fallen comrades. The most common one was a pair of boots, a rifle, Kevlar helmet, and dog tags._

"My sister, Nicole, she has a tattoo." Karah stated. "Mum and dad were furious when she got it. I was mad too. She was in an accident and she hated looking at the scar. So she covered it up. She said she would rather look at beautiful artwork than being reminded how she nearly died. With that explanation, I understand now and don't hate it anymore."

 _I knew it!_ Jordan's eyes went wide with realization. _You want to get one too! Please let me go with you!_

Karah rolled her yes. "I'm not getting a tattoo."

 _But you want one._ Jordan teased.

"You have a sister?" Thorin asked, changing the subject.

"How many siblings do you have?" Ori put his quill and parchment own to pay attention.

"Mahal help us if you are from a big family!" Dori chimed in.

"Yes I have a sister, and a niece and nephew. Hopefully they are in LakeTown with my parents and grand parents." Karah stated, taking delight in thinking about Nicole and her kids. "You'd like my sister much more than Jordan and I. She's mature, loving, kind, and compassionate. And my niece, Rene is very sweet and intelligent, and she's only five years old. My nephew, Gage, he's gotten so big, he's two years old. They can be a handful sometimes."

"I know the feeling," Thorin mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear and start chuckling. Fili and Kili only smirked at him.

"Now it's your turn, Jordan." Fili announced, bringing the conversation back to tattoos.

"What are your tattoos?" Dwalin cocked an eyebrow, daring her. Tell us what your tattoos are."

 _Yes, what's the one on your arm?_ Bifur signed and grunted to Jordan, pointing at his left forearm. As acting father-figure, he was not going to let her get away with that behavior.

 _The Tree of Life._ Jordan answered and Karah had to explain for everyone else.

"Is there a story? Was it for a great deed or a blessing from another wizard or fairy?" Balin asked thoughtfully.

 _Well if you call getting drunk and letting your band mates talk you into getting a tattoo, then yes I was blessed._ Jordan smiled at the memory. _I woke up the next morning with a hangover and this lovely surprise, and another set of piercings. I don't remember at all what happened._

"Let that be a lesson to you for drinking so much that you loose your self control and permanently mark your body." Karah scolded.

 _I was going to get it anyway. I don't regret it or any of the others I have. I just wish that I remember which places I went too. I would rather keep seeing the same artist. I would prefer some consistency._

"How many more do you have?" Karah went wide eyed. She had never really paid that much attention to them since she wanted to ignore their existence.

Jordan counted where each of them was. _Five tattoos and eleven ear piercings, last time I checked._

Karah made a disgusted face and everyone else was intrigued.

"What are ear piercings?"Ori asked. The reply was both witches pulling their hair back so he could see their ears and the sparkling metal that decorated them.

All dwarf eyes turned to Dwalin and he just grunted. A closer look at him explained that he had iron cuffs on both years. Well, they looked like cuffs anyway. They could be piercings for all Jordan and Karah knew. They aided Dwalin in his burly, tough exterior, no one in their right mind would look at him and willingly take him on in a fight.

"Can we see the rest of your tattoos?" Fili asked with his eyes glittering with mischief, letting his male urges speak for him. Bifur and Thorin glared at him, knowing exactly what he was doing. The last time he saw Jordan's tattoos, she had been crying his arms. The guilt that he had seen them when she had been so upset and vulnerable ate at him. Now that she was in a happier mood, and it was still daylight and he could get a better look.

Jordan's lips smirked but her eyes were threatening, speaking that his request would cost him later. She was not surprised or bashful by his curiosity. If she was not proud of her tattoos or did not wish for people to see them, she would not get them. She just wanted to ignore only him and Kili. Pointing to her bare feet, the compass on the top of her left foot, and Deathly Hallows on her right ankle. Her chambray shirt was only half way buttoned, and once they got a good look at her feet, she finished unbuttoning it; pulling her right arm out of the sleeve and showed the mandala on the ball of her shoulder. Lastly, she put her arm back in, turned her back to them and lifted the back up to the base of her neck for the semicolon that was on her upper back over her spine.

"What do they all mean, lass?" Bombur asked.

 _The compass is because I like to travel. When I was in my band I was able to see so many places. The Deathly Hallows is from a children's fairytale, one of my favorites._ She drew a large version of it in the dirt on the floor so they could see it better. _It's the symbol of the invisibility cloak, resurrection stone, and the elder wand._

"And what are those?" Gandalf spoke up, possibly already having an idea. He and Bilbo were smoking their pipes next to Thorin. The hobbit had come closer to see for himself what they were discussing.

 _Do you have the book with you?_ Jordan asked Karah.

"I might." She tried to remember if she packed it. "Let me check."

While she looked in the bottomless bag, Jordan continued. _The mandala is just because I thought it was pretty. The semicolon reminds me that even though life stops and starts, my story is still being written. The Tree of Life is because we are all connected and all life is sacred. And well, I used to believe that. The orcs and goblins are making it very hard to stay true to that._

"I found it!" Karah announced.

"May I see it?" Gandalf reached a hand toward her. She handed it to him, not sure if he could read it. He surprised her. "Ah, yes. Tales of Beetle the Bard."

"You know it?" Karah's jaw dropped.

"Yes, I am friends with Albus Dumbledore." He flipped through the pages until he settled on a story. He knew he would not be disappointed with the witches' reactions.

"I knew I've seen you before! Your portrait is hanging in Professor Dumbledore's office."

Gandalf's eyes twinkled with secrecy. "Yes. And I read his copy of this book the last time I visited with him."

"Have you been to our world?" Karah asked. "Or has Dumbledore been here?"

His eyes twinkled. "Possibly…"

 _How did you come through?_ Jordan asked. If there was another way between their worlds, she needed to know. Milhauke might also know about it, and that was a whole other problem.

"It was many many years ago. Your grandparents were traveling to visit Pricilla's family. They invited me along. We went to many places, one of them being Hogwarts. I became friends with Albus when he was a teacher."

"Where you a headmaster?" Karah asked. "Only witches and wizards who were headmasters and headmistresses have portraits hanging in that office."

"No. Albus and I worked together on a few projects, and it seems that they helped him get to the headmaster position. He hung my portrait in the office as a reminder, I suppose; or for humor."

 _What sort of projects?_ Jordan asked curiously. She had never met the professor, but her mom had him as a headmaster, as well as the rest of the family in England. He was such a fascinating man.

Gandalf reached inside his robes, and pulled out an object that resembled a cigarette lighter. "It's called a Deluminator. It has magical properties, but the it's main purpose is to remove light sources and bestows them." He pointed it to a candlestick and clicked it once to open the lid. The flame from the wick was summoned and pulled inside the Deluminator, leaving the surrounding area in darkness. He clicked it again, and the light zoomed back to the candle.

"I saw professor Dumbledore use his Deluminator once." Karah explained. "He said that 'happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.' At the time I didn't know what that meant. But now, I understand." Karah's mind wondered to Roger, but then accidently to Kili. It was impossible to completely hide the longing from her face. He made eye contact with her, and he softened his annoyed look some.

Karah struggled with what she wanted and needed to do about Kili. She had come to terms with why she was upset with him and herself. And when he looked at her like he was at that very minute, it made it difficult for her to hold onto her grudges. And they fact that he cared about Jordan, someone in her family, made it that much harder. Roger never cared about her family. But Kili was not Roger.

Studying his features when he was not looking at her, it was hard to ignore the physical attraction she had for Kili. His long dark wavy hair half way pulled back. His wicked smile, and his daring and full of life eyes made her melt. When he had held her hand at Carrock, it was not the electric feeling she was expecting; well, at the time she was next expecting anyone to hold her hand. It was more warm and welcoming, safe, and accepted as she was. And his silliness and humor with his playful nature brought a joy that she had not felt in a long time. He made her laugh more than she can remember, and she felt treasured.

It took her a few moments to realize that she was staring at him. It horrified her that he seemed to be enjoying it and his small grin grew smug. She felt her face get red and warm so she focused on Jordan. Her priorities needed to be on reuniting with her family. Remembering their suffering and grief over the last few months was a sobering thought. They had to move forward and work their grief if they ever wanted to find their light, their happiness, again.

 _What were you doing in principle's office?_ Jordan humorously accused, snapping Karah out of her train of thought.

"I was a prefect." Karah rolled her eyes. "All of us were summoned for announcements and such. I was never in trouble."

 _Yeah, right. Now that I know you have a talent for blowing things up, your image of being a goodie goodie has shattered._ Jordan snickered and the rest of the company joined in. _And now that I think about it, I bet you already have a tattoo._

Gandalf broke up the bickering women with a question. "How is Albus?"  
Another sobering thought. Karah treaded lightly as she relayed the news. "Unfortunately, he was murdered last spring. There is an instigation going on, but they have not reported who is responsible. I'm sorry."

Gandalf looked sad. "Me too. Thank you for telling me."

Karah nodded before rising. "I'm tired. good night everyone."

The company wished her a good sleep and Kili's eyes followed her to where the witches had set up their beds. It was in the farthest corner away from the fire. He was about to get up and try to go talk to her when he saw Jordan rise. He had to admire her courage when she thanked Dwalin for sharing before going to bed. The warrior must have developed a soft spot for the witches because it would have taken a lot more nagging from him and Fili, and bargained promises to get Dwalin to do what they wanted.

It was not too much later that Thorin and Gandalf insisted that the rest of them try to get some sleep. Thorin decided to take the first watch, needing a little more time to calm his mind in order to sleep. The wizard said that with the door locked to the house and Béorn as the bear prowling around outside his keep, it would be extremely unlikely that they company would be attacked. Ori would be next to take watch, followed by Kili a couple hours later, and Bombur last so he could prepare breakfast. The sounds from the animals rustling around in their stables and the warmth from the extra bodies, plus the pure exhaustion, made it easy to enter the dreamland.

A few hours into the night, Ori had finally welcomed sleep and Kili was awake for his turn. He rehearsed in his head on what he would say to Karah when he got the chance. Over and over he listed through the topics he wanted to discuss, trying to get to the root of his fruitions. He was finally happy with his plan when he heard someone moving around in their sleep. Lo and behold, it was Karah.

The warmth of the room made Karah restless in her sleep. She preferred the air to be cold, so she could stay nice and warm under the blankets. She threw the sleeping bag open to cool herself down. Her eyes refused to stay closed until her body temperature went down. She tried to turn over, but realized she did not have her wand. In panic, she sat up and started shuffling her bedroll around to find it. Her fears were getting worse when she heard it fall and bounce six feet away. Huffing at the inconvenience, she moved to where the edge of her blanket was and stretched herself as far as she could to reach it; but still staying on her bedroll. It was still at least a foot out of reach!

She knew it was silly. But her foggy mind convinced her to keep trying to stay on her bed and retrieve her wand. Someone who was more awake would probably do the logical thing by: standing, and walking to the wand, picking it up, and then go back to bed. Not make it way more difficult than necessary. Hearing a chuckle made her head snap up, and glare at the younger prince, who was wide awake and standing watch.

Kili could not help but smile while he watched Karah try to stretch herself to reach her wand. This was his chance! Taking pity on her, he stood and picked it up and held it for her. Her eyes focused on his boots and traveled the length of his body and met his eyes. He saw hesitation in her that immediately turned to irritation. When she reached for it, he kept the wand in his open palm but backed up a step with a half smile on his face. The wand was his leverage to get her to speak to him. For a moment they just stared at each other. Then he took another step back, making her rise to her feet.

"May I have my wand back, please?" Karah whispered.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" Kili asked casually, careful to keep his voice down. He did not want her to see how she had hurt him just yet.

Karah just stared at him for a moment. She thought it was obvious. She was mad at him! "Does it matter, your majesty?" She bowed with a glare. That should have been enough of an explanation.

"Yes, it does matter!" Kili glared back, his whispering growing fiercer. "And don't call me that."

"Why? It's what you are, isn't it?" Her attitude was mirroring his.

"Does it matter?" He shot back in her face.

Karah did not want to talk to him. She wanted her wand and by the forces that be, she was going to get it. She tried to snatch it from him, but he stepped out of reach again. "Give me my wand!"

"Not until you tell me what has you angry at me!"

"You lied to me!" Karah answered.

"About what?"

"You are a prince! You never told me!"

"You never asked!" Kili was dumbfounded. "And that's not lying. That's just not sharing information."

"Don't get technical with me. I didn't think I would have to ask!"

"It's not something that I advertise."

"Yeah, because most people probably already know. I didn't."

"So you are mad at me because I was born a prince? It's not like I can help that. I've never used my title for anything, not even back home in the Blue Mountains. I was friendly with you, because I thought we were friends."

"Where I come from," Karah clarified. "The muggle royalty aren't friends with commoners like me. And if they are, it's because they are hoping to get lucky for the night."

Kili let his hurt come through in his voice. "I would-, we would never do that. Is that why Jordan has been ignoring Fili?" When all her received was silence, he had his answer. "I thought we knew each other better than that." He tossed her her wand and left her standing there alone, hoping that she felt the same pain he did.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Jordan was shaking Karah awake. She never slept this late and was very much the better morning person than Jordan. She was about to give up and magically pour water on her when Karah finally opened her eyes and sat up.

 _Good to see you among the living._ Jordan signed. She had already dressed in her lucky grey knit hat, violet knee length dress, denim jacket, and black flats. Some of her tattoos were covered, and her earrings were hiding under her slightly damp wavy hair and hat. Her outfit would not be very good for traveling, but Gandalf assured them that they would have time to change if they departed that day. Her makeup was tastefully simple to accent her beautiful features. She kept her look easy because she had no idea how conservative Béorn was. _Gandalf said to dress nicely. We are going to meet the host._

Karah rolled over, wanting to go back to sleep, but Jordan would not let her. Her cousin tapped her on the shoulder and threated to soak her with water if she did not get out of bed. "I'm up!" She sat up and dug through her bag for an outfit to change into. Since Jordan was wearing a dress, she figured that she could finally change into the sundress she wanted to wear. It was a teal lace dress with three quarter length sleeves that came down to her knee, her jeweled headband, and her pink nude flats. "When are we meeting him?" Karah asked before she went to the washroom to change.

 _In fifteen minutes._ Jordan replied. _I've been trying to wake you for ten._

"Sorry," Karah apologized.

 _Rough night?_

"Come with me and I will explain." Karah got up and went to the washroom. "Holy bees!"

 _Don't worry, they're friendly._ Jordan assured.

It did not take long to fill her in. Karah told her what happened between her and Kili while Jordan fixed her hair. She tamed the frizz but still kept the shape and the volume. Her auburn hair was so healthy and beautiful as it fell down past her shoulders. Karah quickly dressed and went to work on her makeup. Time was running out, so she copied her cousin and kept it simple.

 _So they didn't tell us they were princes' because we didn't ask?_ Jordan clarified.

"Yup." Karah answered curtly. "Kili said they don't use their titles. He was friendly because he wanted to be friends.

 **Or more.** Jordan thought to herself. _Now what do we do?_

"I don't know." Karah's shame forced her to turn away.

Jordan stepped in her line of vision. _Karah, your family and my friend. So I can tell you things that most people can't. You like Kili! And he likes you! How long much longer do you want to stay mad at him? Put both of you out of your misery and tell him how you feel! I can see that you want to forgive him. And is your opportunity to take control of your life and make the first move. Don't wait for him._ Jordan signed encouragingly, then moved on to teasing. _In fact, I think you want to forgive him because you love him_.

"It's not so simple, Jordan!" Karah answered quickly. "He's a dwarf and nobility. I'm human and a witch."

 _So?_

"So… There's no way I could be with him." Karah sputtered.

Gandalf had sent Kili to fetch the witches, and Fili for Bilbo. The company was preparing to go outside and greet Béorn. The witches had no idea that he Kili was listening on the other side of the door. The problem was, he only heard Karah's last couple declarations. He did not wait around to hear any more, now even more upset with Karah. As silently as he approached the door, he walked away. He asked Bilbo to bring them.

Jordan was shocked by Karah's words. _Are you kidding me? Do you know anything about our family tree since we are the Gatekeepers?_

"Ah! That came out wrong!" Karah shook her head and she flung her hands wildly. "What I mean is that Kili is a prince, with a lot of responsibility. And Thorin would never agree to us being together."

 _Again, our family has just as much responsibility being Gatekeepers. Are you really that worried about Thorin?_ Jordan let her question sink in as she checked over her outfit one more time before heading to the door. They were way past the time they were to gather with the company.

Karah tried to rationalize her thoughts. "If Kili marries, for his people sake he would probably have to marry someone of his own kind, and probably with a strong social status. I would not at all fit that profilel. And what would he want with me anyhow? I'm no one, compared to him."

 _Are you worried about him rejecting you or that he won't be free to choose you?_ Jordan guessed. _Never mind, don't answer that because that part is irrelevant. Do you like him?_

Karah was staring down at her feet when she replied. "I've never had feelings like the ones I have for Kili. He makes me feel: confident, cherished, giddy, and happy. I do love him and I will everything I can for him. But I don't think its enough for him and his people. They deserve more than what I have to offer."

 _It sounds like you've made the decision for him and his people._ Jordan pointed out. _That's something a princess would do._ Karah looked so wilted about the subject, Jordan wanted to cheer her up. _I've seen the way he looks at you, and the way you look at him. Actually it's obvious to everyone. You need to tell him everything you just told me. And make a decision together. You both deserve to be happy, and clearly the only way to know for sure if he feels the same way is to talk to him._

Karah watched her cousin. She knew Jordan was right. The problem was she was terrified. Thought after thought went through her mind. **What if he rejects her? What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he laughs in her face and tells her to take a hike? If he does, I will go back to our world and move on with my life.**

 _Hey! Whatever you are thinking, stop! Be confident in yourself!_ Jordan saw the distress on her face. _If he does not feel the same way, I will personally hex him, and we will move as far away from Erébor as possible so you never have to see him again. We will even get a litter of cats and be the old crazy cat ladies, yelling at the neighbor kids to stay off our property._

Karah laughed at the notion. A moment passed between them before she looked at Jordan quizzically. "What about Fili?"

 _I thought you liked Kili? You can't have both brothers. That's too much testosterone to keep happy._ Jordan joked then turned serious. _Go tell Kili! Don't wait any longer._

Karah agreed. "Are you going to tell Fili?"

 _We aren't talking about me right now._

"We are both dealing with the same problem."

Knock, knock, knock. "Ladies, are you presentable?" Bilbo asked through the door. "Everyone is waiting for us."

Jordan opened the door ands smiled at him. _Good morning! How did you sleep?_

Bilbo had a harder time understanding Jordan than everyone else. He looked to Karah to translate for him. "Oh well, terribly actually. I woke up a couple times. Too worried about this morning. We better get going, though. By they way, you both look lovely."

Both witches smiled at him, charmed by his compliment. They agreed that he was a remarkable being and were so glad to have met him. They followed him to join the rest. He came to stand between Kili and Thorin at the outer edge of the company. They heard Nori and Dwalin arguing, Gandalf trying to break them up, and the loud chopping of wood coming from outside.

Gandalf was scolding the dwarves like a school teacher. "We'll be hunted down before we ever reach Mirkwood. Bilbo, Jordan, Karah, there you are! Now, we must tread very carefully and delicately. The last person to have startled him was torn to shreds." He paused to let that thought sink into their minds. Everyone exchanged worry looks with each other, trying to decide if he was joking. "I will go first, and Bilbo, you come with me."

Bilbo did not like the idea of going first. He took a small step back and away from Gandalf, but stepped on Karah's foot. "Oh, sorry. Um, is this really a good idea?"

Thorin tried to hide his smirk under his beard, but Jordan saw it. Thorin motioned with head for him to follow the wizard, Fili seconding. Thorin kept his face softer now that he thought much better of the hobbit. When Bilbo passed, he then looked over his shoulder at the witches and stepped out of the circle a little more to allow them in. He noticed the coldness that Kili had with Karah standing next to him, and wondered what could have happened between them. Fili did not seem to be any different about Jordan.

Gandalf managed to keep his tone light and calm while he continued instructions. "Yes, now the rest of you just wait here. Do not, no matter what, come out until I give the signal."

Bofur had climbed to sit in the windowsill to look out on the garden. He was high enough that everyone could see him, and in perfect view of Béorn. "Got it, wait for the signal."

Gandalf almost went out the door when he turned around quickly to give more advice. "Also, no sudden movements, or loud noises, and don't over crowd him."

"Right" company agreed.

Gandalf continued, "only come out in pairs. Well actually, Bombur, you count as two so you come out alone. Remember, wait for the signal."

Bombur looked quite sad at being left alone but there was no time to plead his case. The Grey Wizard and Bilbo had already left the house. The company seemed satisfied with the sound plan, until Bofur realized one important detail.

He turned back to the company, holding tightly onto the wood frame. "So what _**is**_ the signal?"

The company went dead quite, realizing the only flaw in a perfect plan. Now all they could do was wait. Each of them checked over each other to make sure they looked as presentable as they could, by Gandalf insistence. Their braids were clean and freshly done. And their beads were polished. Their gear was prepared it to leave at any instance.

Jordan tapped Karah on the shoulder and motioned, like Thorin had for Bilbo, to Kili to get her moving.

Karah coughed and cleared her throat. Softly, she called out to him as his back was facing her. "Kili, can I talk-."

"Go!" Bofur interrupted them. Dwalin and Balin took it upon themselves to go first for introductions. The rest of them held their breath, expecting the dwarves to meet their ends as soon as they reached the sunlight. They could hear Gandalf stuttering through an explanation, when Bofur sent out the next pair: Oin and Gloin. Béorn seemed less than amused, tense even, as the dwarves emerged from his home. Then Bofur signaled for Dori and Ori to take their turn. Hearing their worried voices made the remaining dwarves quite nervous to step outside.

Fili had turned around to check over his younger brother. He wanted to be sure that he was as prepared as he could be to face the giant. Kili looked as ready as he felt. Satisfied, he was about to turn back towards the door, when his eyes fell on Jordan.

Even though he had seen her barer then she was right then, she looked more enticing and irresistible in her foreign clothes. Her legs were bare of pants and of body hair. He felt his blood get hot at the thought of his hand touching her soft skin. Her hair looked so soft and thick underneath her hat that it made up for the rest of her not having hair. He liked her tattoos and was annoyed upon noticing them covered up. **So much for pride**. He thought gruffly. He had to turn away in order to hold onto his agitation. She was magical in more than just being a witch, but she had the power that easily manipulated him without even realizing it or trying. He wondered if Kili was struggling as well. He must have been because he did not acknowledge Karah when she spoke to him.

Fili spoke over his shoulder in Khuzdul as to not be overheard by the witches. "Are you alright?" Kili only nodded that he could see out of the corner of his eye. "Our turn." He headed for the door when Bofur signaled for them to go.

No one paid Thorin any attention while he studied the behavior between his nephews and the witches. On one hand, he was satisfied because at least this way he would not have to deal with the boys' cockiness or their raging hormones. On the other, he felt guilty that they were unhappy and wished to see them as their usual cheery and charming selves.

Bofur agreed to pair up with Nori so the witches could be with Bifur. Being women, he worried for their safety, despite seeing them with their magic. He decided, at the earliest possible time, he would insist on them learning to defend themselves without their magic. Dwalin was the best warrior and instructor out of all of them. Bifur was sure that Dwalin would take them on as temporary pupils. When the young Durin brothers past him, he glared at them for their cold behavior towards the witches. He had no idea what happened between them, but he did not like seeing the witches distraught. He planned to ask Jordan later what had transpired.

Bofur jumped down from the window and lost his footing. He tripped and stumbled onto Nori out the door. Bifur tried to reach for him to stop his sudden movements but he too lost his balance. Jordan tried to catch her mentor thus creating a domino effect to be completed by Karah and Bombur. They all fell over and tried to right themselves as gracefully as possible.

This was one of the rare times it was helpful that Jordan was a mute, because she started giggling and it grew to laughter. When Bifur helped her up, he had to glare so he would not start laughing. Jordan squeezed her eyes shut, and bit her lips to concentrate.

"Now is not the time for humor!" Bofur whispered his distress.

This did not help and thank goodness Karah knew what to do. "How did you feel when you figured out that your black cat, Gus, was not really Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus?"

Jordan immediately stopped laughing as she recalled the disappointing and embarrassing time. She wished that her cousin stopped with that.

"Or when you realized that there weren't any Barrowers living in your house? You just could not keep track of your stuff. Or that your toys did not come to life when you left the room? Or that your closet does not lead to another world where monsters are scared of children?"

Jordan turned to her to defend herself. _First, the fact that Gus was not Thackery Binx turned out to be a very good thing. Proving that the Sanderson sisters are really dead. They were a disgrace to the wizard community._ At the moment, she did not care that she was not paying attention to Béorn anymore, because now she was determined to defend her honor. _Second, Blair was 'barrowing' my stuff, so that could have been a fair argument. Third, I did not appreciate that my toys were playing and having fun without me, while I was stuck at school._

"And the forth?" Karah prompted. Jordan kept silent for once, and that unsettled her. "Don't tell me that's true!"

Jordan kept her mouth shut and her hands still to pretend to pay attention to the rest of the company and their host. Their attention went back to Béorn when he spoke again, holding tightly onto the wood ax. "Is that it? Are there any more?"

The entire company looked worried and guilty, knowing that one of them had not come out yet. They all looked to the house when Thorin carried himself with pride and looked directly into the skin-changer's eyes. For a few moments, no one said a word, barely breathed.

Béorn knew exactly who Thorin was and had now understood why the Orcs were so close to his home. He set down the ax next to him as he looked onto the rest of the weary company. "Come inside, and let's break our fasts. I believe you have quite the tale to tell."

The company moved to let Béorn through and lead the way inside the house. Thorin right behind him, and the rest of company followed, the witches last. Bifur waited for them to join.

Karah was not about to drop the idea that Jordan knew something she did not. "Is there another Gate besides the ones to Middle Earth?"

 _I think you mean to ask, 'are there other Gates' besides the ones to Middle Earth?_ Jordan merely shrugged her shoulders and walked inside.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The company was sitting in the kitchen and dining room, nervously listening, quietly eating and drinking, as Béorn cared for them like a proper host. Thorin was not exactly sitting at the table, more like on a stool at the base of support beam in the middle of the entire house. Bifur was sitting on his left, followed by Jordan, Karah, Oin, Gloin, and Bilbo. Balin was standing behind Bilbo, not ready to partake in eating. Then Bombur, Ori, Dori, Nori, Bofur, Dwalin, Kili, and Fili rounding back to Thorin.

"Now there's only one of my kind remaining." Béorn replied sadly.

Jordan thought that sounded odd and waved at him to get his attention. When he turned around, she signed her thoughts but he had no idea what she said. Karah was still tired from the previous night and was not focused on anything but her plate. Jordan tapped her shoulder and asked her to translate.

"Excuse me, Mr. Béorn?" Karah began, gaining the large man's notice. "Jordan wanted me to tell you that there are others like you. In our world, they are called animagus. Actually, my grandfather on my mother's side was one. His animal form was a Red Kite Hawk."

Béorn eyes softened on the witches and felt they could be trusted. "You are not dwarves, are you, young ones?"

Jordan shook her head and Karah spoke. "No, we are human. But we are witches from the Wizarding World."

"Show me?" he posed desperately. He wanted to believe them, but without any proof he could not be one hundred percent sure.

Jordan suggested that Karah look through her photos and see if she had one of her grandfather. Jordan pulled out her wand and pointed it at a flower growing a pot in the center of the table. It was completely white, and she charmed it to rotate the colors of the rainbow. It started with: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, ending with violet. Everyone marveled at the beautiful and simple magic. Karah was able to locate one of her smaller photo albums that she brought along. She flipped to the picture of her grandfather transforming and showed it to Béorn.

"I know it's not the same," Karah explained. "The differences are obvious; and animagi are still quite rare, even in our world. But all the same, you are not alone."

A small smile that could barely be seen came over Béorn's lips. Handing it back to her, he began to walk to the other end of the room. He took a seat on a stool near the fire after pouring everyone with a cup some fresh milk. He cleared his throat and spoke aloud to everyone. "You need to be at the mountain before the end of autumn?"

Gandalf had been absent mindedly tapping the mouth piece of his pipe on his lips. "Yes, before Durin's Day."

"Your time is running out." Béorn pointed out, gazing at each one of them.

"Which is why we will go through Mirkwood." Gandalf was ready with a solution.

Béorn scoffed at the foolishness. "A darkness lies upon that forest. Horrid and evil things creep in there. And, there is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not go in there unless in great desperation."

It was unsettling to hear from the mighty skin-changer that even he was avoiding Mirkwood. Gandalf chewed on his lips and then answered, "the Elven Road is still safe."

"Safe? I think not. The wood elves of Mirkwood are ambitious, dangerous even; not like their kin in Rivendell. Not that it matters." Béorn shrugged.

Thorin had risen from his tall chair and paced quietly. He listened to the conversation between Béorn and Gandalf, knowing that the council was important. However, with Béorn's last comment, that had him worried. "What do you know?"

Béorn focused on him. Standing and maintaining eye contact with Thorin, he walked around the table and his words wrung in their ears. "These lands are swarming with Orcs with their count ever growing; and you and your company are on foot. You'll never make it to Mirkwood alive."

Bifur had been sitting quietly and the wheels in his brain were turning. The worries of the company weighed on him, but the added pressure of Jordan and Karah's safety struck him. He happened to glance up at Dwalin and a thought came into his mind.

Even though the seasoned warrior would never admit it aloud, Karah and Jordan had earned a soft spot in his heart. He tried to keep them at a distance, but it was obviously that he looked onto them fondly similar to the way Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur did. Bifur was sure that Dwalin would help him in this task. Catching his eye, Bifur signaled and signed that he wanted to speak with him as soon as possible. Dwalin nodded, curious about the request.

"I don't like dwarves." Béorn announced as he made his way closer to Thorin. "They're greedy and blind to the lives and priorities of those whom they decided are less important than themselves." The skin-changer stopped, seeing Bofur push a white mouse off of his sleeve. Béorn picked up the little creature, as it was trembling from the rough treatment. He glared at Bofur, who tried to shrink in his chair. "But the hate I have for Orcs is greater. What do you need?"

It did not take long for Thorin, Balin, Gandalf, and Béorn to come to an agreement on supplies and other decisions. They were to leave first thing the next morning, in order to get proper rest before they raced for Mirkwood. Béorn was sure that the Orcs had not entered there and once they were inside; they should be safe from that particular danger.

Meanwhile, the company started to check over their belongings and made necessary repairs. A few of them even asked the witches to use their magic. Bifur had pulled Dwalin aside and asked for his help. When he agreed, they both approached them with fatherly confidence.

 _I want you both to learn how do defend yourselves without your wands._ Bifur explained. _Dwalin has agreed to train you._

Dwalin cleared his throat to add, "get changed, and meet me outside in fifteen minutes, lassies."

For a moment, they just stared at him. Karah broke the bewildered silence with a question. "Why is it necessary for us to learn to fight with other weapons? We can defend ourselves perfectly with our wands."

"But will you do if you lose it or it breaks?" Dwalin raised his brow at them. "Those little sticks look pretty flimsy."

 _What do you do if lose your axe or it breaks?_ Jordan counter asked.

"I use my second axe. I always have a backup." Dwalin smartly replied. He lifted his hands to display his knuckle dusters. "And I know how to defend myself with my fists."

Thorin came upon the dwarves, wishing to explain things to his second in command. When he understood the conversation, he took the dwarves' side. "This is not up for discussion. You will be less of a worry this way. Do as your guardian say, Lady Witches." His tone was the same one he used on his nephews when they argued with his sister. Fili and Kili must have recognized it because he saw them out of the corner of his eye turn and watch the discussion.

"Fifteen minutes," Dwalin stated again as he turned to gather his weapons and go outside to warm up. "I suggest you change into something less pretty and more athletic."

Jordan and Karah were left pouting by their gear. Jordan would have made a sound like groaning, if she could. Karah huffed her breath. They had taken care to look nice that morning, and now it was all going to be for nothing.

"Fourteen minutes!" Dwalin called from the door.

The witches snatched their bags on the way to the washroom to change. They just wanted one day that they would not get all sweaty and gross! Was that really too much to ask? They quickly changed and were walking outside with time to spare. Their hair was pulled out of their faces and they stretched out their muscles; hoping to get this task over and done with so they could relax for the rest of the day.

 _So they have animagi here too._ Jordan thought out with her hands, letting her mind wonder while she tried to bend and touch her toes. _Do you think they have other creatures here that we do back home?_

Karah stretched out her back. "Probably."

 _Do you think they have vampires?_

"How should I know?"

 _As long as they don't sparkle, I think we're good._

 _Karah was utterly confused._ "Wait, what? Sparkling vampires? Do they really exist?"

Jordan struggled and loosened the muscles in her arms. _If they do, I heard of these hunters that will kill them for free. Winchester, I think, is the name._ Behind Karah, Jordan saw Kili heading to the back of the house to check over his bow, arrows, and quiver. She pointed to him then to her watch. _You have ten minutes. Go say something to him!_

Karah felt disappointment wash over her. She did not want this to be the end of their relationship together. Only, she was afraid of being rejected. "What if he is my Romeo but I'm not his Juliet?"

Jordan's eyes went wide. _You know_ _Romeo and Juliet_ _?_

"I saw the movie," Karah admitted sheepishly.

 _And you call me a muggle. The books are better._ Going back to the real concern, Jordan could understand her fear. However, Karah had exhausted that excuse and Jordan was tired of hearing it. _Then you are his Rosaline and you survive the frickin' play._ Jordan stated with a sassy but serious expression. _Get moving!_

Karah thought about ignoring her, only Jordan did not let up by gently pushing her in his direction. She decided that she would handle this like another unpleasant and embarrassing task; get it over and down with quickly in order to relax later. Putting on her big girl pants, she approached him and softly spoke. "Kili, can I talk to you? I promise not to keep you. I apparently have an unconventional lesson I must attend in a few minutes."

"I can't, I'm busy." Kili answered sourly. He never looked up at her and continued looking over the equipment.

Karah's heart dropped, trying again anyway. "Alright. Um, maybe later?"

"Uncle has me doing many chores to prepare for departure in the morning." He tried to brush her off and it was starting to work.

She lowered her gaze to her feet, trying to figure out what to do. He still had not looked at her and kept his focus elsewhere. Standing behind him, she waited awkwardly, purposely trying to make him uncomfortable. It only took another minute for him to turn around. He must have thought that she walked away because he looked angry and hurt and was not able to cover it up in time for her to not see it.

He took a deep breath to calm his anger. "What do you want from me?"

"A lot! But a few minutes of your time would be a good place to start." Karah prompted with a little bit of a bite in her voice. "I have something I want to tell you and-."

"I don't have anything to tell you." Kili cut her off, verbally pushing her away. They stared each other down for what seemed like an eternity. Kili was the first to look away, but Karah was the first to speak.

"Fine. Have it your way." Karah walked away, leaving him standing there in his winnings. She hoped that he was satisfied with it. Heading back to the front door, some of the company was coming out to air out their belongings. Ori was sitting on a log while sketched the scenery. She took a seat beside him and ask him about his project.

Kili had not felt this amount of guilt, anger, and disappointment in a long time. It was the worst feeling ever! He knew that he was not being fair to Karah; and before, he did not care. He wanted to hurt her, because she had hurt him. But now he felt worse than what he did after overhearing the witches' conversation this morning.

Jordan watched the whole thing. Something was wrong, very wrong. What was up with him? She looked around, saw that no one was about, and pointed her want at him. _Flipendo._ She watched Kili's legs involuntarily jump backwards over his head, and he landed on his stomach. With his breath knocked out for the moment, she used her wand to turn him on his back. _Immobulus._ He froze in place, only able to breathe out of his nose, blink, and star up at her.

Hands crossed over her chest and her wand poking out of her bend elbow, glaring down at him, making him to suffer for a moment. _Are you an idiot?_ She signed not expecting a response. _I'm not sure what has your pants in a twist, but you better check it out. She was about to tell you exactly what you wanted to hear!_ The anger in Kili's eyes was speaking volumes. She decided to lift the spells so he could say his piece.

He brushed the dirt off of him as he got to his feet. The anger that he felt at Jordan and Karah was enough to make him temporarily forget that he was hexed. "I heard enough this morning!"

 _What did you hear?_ Jordan challenged, wanting to know.

"That she could never be with me because I'm a dwarf!" Kili snapped. He made an attempt t walking away, still stewing in his anger.

Jordan was having none of it. She stared at him for a long moment trying to think over the conversation this morning. _Levicorpus!_ He turned upside down and dangled in the air just over head of Jordan. He tried to grab her to make her put him down, but she remained out of reach. _Didn't you ever learn that 'eavesdroppers hear no good of themselves?'_ Jordan decided he had had enough suffering. _Even though you listened to a private conversation, I will tell you what you chose not to hear. Karah thinks she's not good enough for you, or your people. She thinks that because she is human and a witch, that you will not want her more than just a fling, or that you are not allowed to be with her._

Kili stopped struggling and let the signs sink in. He believed, she did not think he was good enough for her, when she really thought the exact opposite! He was such a stupid fool! Karah wanted to be with him. Now he was not as mad at Jordan. He deserved her magical wrath. "What's a fling? No never mind, I don't care. What else did she say?"

 _I'm not going to give you the full story. But she has good reasons for being afraid of being in a committed relationship._ Jordan cautiously disclosed.

Kili crossed his upside-down arms over his chest and stared down at her. His hair looked like it was standing on end. Trying to scowl, he was able to crack Jordan's stern demeanor and make her smile for a moment. Then he asked, "Is that the same reason you've ignored Fili?" Her frown came right back, and he realized that probably was not the best thing to say since she still had him dangling six feet off the ground. "I want to talk to her."

 _Good luck with that! She's pissed at you!_ Jordan stated.

Kili did not understand what she meant. "She relieved herself?"

Jordan stared at him for a moment, equally confused by his question. _No! It's just an expression. You better check yourself before you talk to her._

"I already visited the bushes." Kili stated bewilderedly.

 _Oh my-NO!_ Jordan rolled her eyes. _What I meant was-._

"What's going on here?" Fili charged toward Jordan, outraged at the sight of his brother turned upside down and floating in the air. "Are you alright? Put him down now!"

"I'm fine, Fili. I can handle this." Kili groaned like a typical younger brother. He loved Fili, but there were times that he did not want his big brother coming to rescue him.

Jordan flicked her wand, _Liberacorpus._ Kili was slowly being turned so his feet were once again below him and the blood was rushing away from his head. He was safely on the ground, no worse for wear. She glared at him and poked him in the chest. _Get your act together and then go talk to her._

Kili shook out his limbs and head to get the blood flowing again. "I will. Do you know where she is?"

 _No, and you'll probably have to wait now. We have our training with Dwalin in a couple minutes._ She happened to look at Fili, immediately regretting it. He looked a mixture of: amused, annoyed, and confused. Not ready to face him, she rushed off after Kili, who had run by her to find Karah. He had suddenly stopped, seeing her sitting with Ori in the front yard. Jordan nearly bumped into him, and peeked over his shoulder. He had her sympathy now. She grabbed Kili arm to get his attention. _Hey, she likes you… a lot. Don't let your's or her pride get in the way of your happiness._

Kili turned around and hugged her tightly, touched his forehead to hers. "I won't, if you wont." He whispered. He glanced quickly over her shoulder at his brother. Fili was glaring at both of them, also wondering what was going on between them.

 _I'm sorry for how I treated you, too._ Jordan stated wanting to move on from all the unnecessary angst. _Now go get her!_

Kili presented that genuinely dashing smile and walked right up to Karah, casting a shadow over her. She took one look at him and turned right back to Ori. They were discussing some of his writing and drawing of the quest thus far. He was quite talented in capturing the times both artistically and in literature.

"Is that Bilbo?" Karah asked, blatantly ignoring Kili. "He was very brave to defend Thorin from Azog."

Ori agreed, noticing the uncomfortable situation. "I don't know what any of us would have done without him."

"Have you shown him this?"

"Not yet," Ori's cheeks blushed. "I haven't finished it."

"Will you show him? I know he'd love it." Karah praised.

"Lady Witch Karah?" Kili interrupted carefully, knowing he was treading on thin ice.

"Come on, Ori. Let's go show him right now." Karah turned her back on them and stood up on the other side of the log.

Kili did not think his next move through very well before he did it. As swift as one of his arrows, he snatched Karah's wand from her relaxed hand. She whirled around and tried to take it back but he kept it way out of her reach and the log acted as a barrier. He had no idea what he had done, and with such a powerful object he could easily cause damage on accident.

 **Oh, bad idea, Kili!** Jordan was about to intervene when she felt her own wand get pulled out from her hand. Fili was running away with her wand!


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Fili made an impulse decision to mimic his brother and he was glad he did. The look on Jordan's face being so furious made him laugh enough to forget he was angry with her. He agreed with Bifur that she needed to learn how to fight without her magic. He figured that since Dwalin and Thorin trained him, he could train Jordan. And getting to fight with her would work out most of his frustrations. And possibly lead to other things.

Jordan chased him around to the back of the house. He was much faster than her and was almost to the front again by the time she reached the back. She had to stop to catch her breath. He looked back and realized that she was no longer behind him and continued around a second time. When he did find her, she had her hands on her knees and her hair covering her face, looking down at the ground. He crept closer with the attempt to tag her before he took off again.

When she saw his feet in her peripheral vision, she glared up at him, but made no move to chase him. She was not going to play his games any more. _Give it back!_

"I think not." Fili smirked at her twirling it between his fingers. "You said that you would never be without your wand. Well, I guess you were wrong." She tried to snatch it back and he laughed at her.

 _Give it back, now_! Her fury was growing by the second.

"Make me." Fili challenged. "But since you haven't trained with Dwalin yet, I am quite positive I have nothing to fear."

 _You dumba-._ Jordan thought to herself. She mastered silent magic ages ago, and since then she had been practicing wandless. She needed to work on it more but she was not completely helpless. Now her patience was gone. She charged at Fili who was keeping her wand well out her reach. She gave into her anger and took a swing at his chest. He easily dodged it and slipped the wooden stick in his boot, grinning at her.

"Not bad, Jordan." Fili encouraged. "If you are going to battle with your fists, I suggest you strike with the mindset of going through you opponent."

His taunting had the desired effect. Jordan came at him with assault after assault. He was able to keep her engaged but her temper was growing. He probably should not have been playing with her like a cat and mouse. But he felt that this was justice for her behavior toward him recently.

"Do you realize what you two geniuses have done!?" Karah yelled from the other side of the house. Somehow she figured out that Fili also joined the game. "You just turned our wands away from us. They are now aligned with you two thieves! And you can't even use it properly!"

"I guess that's all the more reason for you to have to fight and win them back." Kili laughed loudly. His voice was getting louder and quickly ran around to the side of the house that Fili and Jordan were fighting on.

"Why are you doing this? Just give me my wand back!" Karah shouted and begged.

"I will give it back once we talk." Kili promised seriously.

"You don't get to negotiate with that. I already tried to talk to you and you told me to bogger off." Karah's anger was boiling. Her temper was about to snap and would do bodily harm to the prince once she had the opportunity. "You lost that chance."

"If you want your wand back, you'll talk with me." Kili pointed out.

He turned and ran for the small creek that came through the grounds. Karah chased after him and nearly tackled him when he stopped. There was a spot on the edge of the water that they could sit. He tucked the wand in his jacket until they worked out their issues.

"Please, Karah, I want to talk now." Kili begged trying to keep a safe distance between them. He really milked it with his big brown eyes and sad smile that could melt her heart. She did not want to do as he asked, but when he made that face she had no argument. When she did take a seat, she heard a loud explosion coming from the back of the house.

Fili stuck his tongue out at her, she wanted to slap him across the face. Jordan finally snapped and could not control her magic. She shot fire out of her hands at him. He was able to tuck and roll to dodge the heat and not get burned.

 **Oh my-.** Jordan was horrified at what she had done. _I'm so sorry!_ She did not wait for his reaction. He was not hurt, so she tried to run away from him. She had never been able to successfully do wandless magic. And the fact that she nearly hurt someone terrified her.

Fili was anything but offended. In fact, he was proud and star struck. He was under the impression that Jordan was helpless without her wand. Apparently she had been holding out on all of them. Now he wanted to learn what she was really capable of; what else was she hiding from him?

The shock and horror on her face terminated her end of the game. She must not have known her own powers. Fili was not going to let her off that easily! He was not going to give her the option to avoid him any longer. When she tried to run away, he tackled her to the ground. He forgot how much stronger he was than she, and accidently knocked the wind out of her. That worked in his favor though, because she did not struggle as much as he flipped her over and sat on her hips and pinned her wrists on either side of her head.

Looking down, he could not help but be satisfied at his superior fighting skills. Jordan was beyond angry at him, and herself. However, now that he had her, Fili was not about to let her up. He felt a little bad that he liked seeing her helpless while below him. He leaned close so their faces were only a few inches away. He was not angry at her anymore; he wanted to kiss her, this was the perfect opportunity. He had been dying to for so long now and he was sure that she wanted to too. Her body wiggled and squirmed and that did not help in his resolve in not stealing the kiss. His mother would slaughter him if she were to witness this. But then he remembered how he felt seeing her in that dress this morning.

He accidently let out a moan and blurted out so only she could hear. "I want to kiss you." She immediately stilled and he praised and cursed himself for saying anything at all. "I think you want to kiss me too."

His eyes searched hers and could see the longing that she tried to hide. Letting his eyes travel to her mouth, he lowered and touched his forehead to hers. It was a test to see how far she would let him go. She did not try to turn away or push him off and felt her breath on his skin. He aligned his lips and skimmed her lips, patiently asking for permission.

Jordan let the air out of her lungs that she did not realize she had trapped. The duel between her and Fili was exhilarating and simply put, fun! Blowing off some steam had been what she needed. What she did not expect was for Fili to enjoy it as much as she; until she lost control of her magic and nearly set him on fire. With his lips so close to hers, it was too difficult to turn away and keep her mind focused on her wand. He was so close and she wanted him to kiss her. When he admitted his desire, the excitement made her heart start pounding heavily. And when she felt his lips so close to hers, barely touching, she thought her heart would burst out of her chest.

BAM!

Fili's face crashed hard onto Jordan's. She had no idea what had happened and winced in pain from the blunt force. Fili had let go of her wrist and rubbed his nose, forehead, and the back of his head. Something had fallen on him just as he was about to kiss her, and it hurt! The rock had bounced off of him and landed next to them. It was bound to leave a massive welt and bruise on his scalp. He turned to glare at whoever had interrupted them, vowing to beat them to a bloody pulp.

Bifur stood about eight feet away with his arms crossed over his chest. Fili felt the blood leave his face. Dwalin was just behind him, with one hand on his shoulder, keeping the angry dwarf in check. Not that Dwalin was much better. If looks could kill, Fili would have been dead the moment he looked up.

"Hands off," Dwalin growled while Bifur signed.

Fili let go, tried to jump to his feet, and offer Jordan a hand up; but she had other plans. She hooked her arms in his, pushed off from the ground, and rolled to pin him beneath her. He knew that he was going to pay for stealing her wand, but he had hoped that he would only have to seek forgiveness from the one who was quickly stealing his heart, and not her guardians as well; convincing himself that she would be fine after the kiss. He let her shove him to the ground, pull the wand from his boot, and stand. Pointing her wand down at him, his eyes widened, fearful that now she was using magic on him. The tip flashed a couple times but he had no idea what she had done. He watched her walk away behind Bifur, waiting for her to be out of sight before he tried to defend himself from his mentor.

Dwalin walked up Fili and offered him a hand up. Fili looked at him skeptically before accepting. Once he was on his feet, Dwalin slapped him on the back of his head.

"What do you think you are doing?" Dwalin scolded him. "If your uncle saw-, no, if your mother saw you behaving like that-!" He could not even finish his sentence. He was a proud, fierce, take on an entire army alone, dwarf. But he knew better than to anger Dis.

"It's not what it looks like," Fili defended, trying to sooth his scalp.

"Then tell me what it **does** look like." Dwalin prompted.

"It-. I-. She-." Fili stuttered.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. You'd better watch yourself. I know what Bifur is capable of if you disrespect Jordan. But there is no telling what Jordan will do to you." Dwalin interrupted. "By the way, I love what you did with your beads. The are much more visible now."

Fili had no idea what he was talking about. He felt the beads on his mustache and they were considerably bigger. Since he could not see them, he grasped one on the side of his head and his eyes nearly bugged out of the sockets. "How did she do that?"

Dwalin started laughing. "I think fuchsia is lovely shade for you beads, it brings out your eyes. And since she doubled them in size, every can see your emblem much easier!"

Bifur had gone back inside the house, fully intent on giving Jordan a good lecture on the behavior of a proper young lady. He cared about Jordan and Karah too much to see that their reputations be soiled because the idiot princes thought it was okay to take liberties. Sure, Fili and Kili were honorable dwarves, but they were still young and raging with hormones.

Jordan's stomach was in knots and she thought she might throw up because her mind would not relax. She was mad at Fili for many reasons, scared because she almost set him on fire, and anxious over their physical contact outside. She liked it and could admit to herself that she wanted to kiss him back.

The interruption was a hard reality check. She knew she should not be allowing a relationship between them to happen. It would only end, and extremely bad when it did. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him, Kili, Bifur, or the rest of the company. But her choice was either their hurt feelings, or her brother and family's lives. There was no other option and pain was unavoidable.

A sharp snap of fingers got her attention, and Bifur was staring at her, waiting for an explanation.

 _I'm ready for my training now._ Jordan tried to deflect the conversation to another topic.

It did not work. Bifur uncrossed his arms and signed, _as your temporary guardian, it is my duty to protect you: physically, emotionally, and morally. If we were back in the Blue mountains, society would shun you both unless you pledged yourselves to each other, if you were caught in a position like that._

Jordan closed her eyes and tilted her head to the ceiling, relieving the tension in her neck. _But were not in the Blue mountains, and I'm not a dwarf._

Bifur shook his head at that menial attempt to argue. _You've been accepted by the company and by my family. Our society will treat you like they treat all dwarves, human or not._

That was not what Jordan wanted to hear. Guilt was already eating at her, now it doubled.

 _It's alright if you like him, Jordan. He's a fine match for you._ Bifur stated. _As your guardian, I just worry about you and I want you to be happy. You of all people deserve that._ Jordan held her breath, startled by his approval and encouragement. He continued. _I would make me quite happy to see you married to Fili; and Karah to Kili. You all have seemed to bring out the best and balance each other. However, that does not mean it is okay for you to be in a position like I found you today._

Jordan was starting to smile at the wonderful idea of a future with Fili, until Bifur ruined it. Not that she should be thinking about it anyway. Blair had to be her first priority, then her family, then Fili and the company. It's too bad that Fili and the company were the key to getting to Erébor and the book, to save Blair. _It won't happen again._

 _Good._ Bifur nodded. _Now, let's go find Karah and get your training started._


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Also, I realized that I accidentally skipped Chapter 9! If you are reading this, then you are reading the correct updates.** **Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

At first they were alarmed and disturbed by the sound of the blast from the front of the house. Since they did not hear any war cries or screaming, they shrugged it off. Remaining silent, neither were sure what to say; both were aware they were each to blame for their current situation.

Kili took a deep breath and was the first to speak. "I apologize for my behavior last night and this morning."

Karah's braid had sung over her shoulder and she played with the ends . "I'm sorry too."

"Why does it matter to you that I'm a prince?" His tone sounding hurt and perplexed.

Karah looked down at her lap, ashamed of her opinion. "Where I come from, in the muggle-world, royalty and the common don't really mix. It's just not done. I was mad because I thought you were only interested in me because you thought I was easy."

"Easy for what?"

Kili's lack of knowledge on Karah's slang made it that much more difficult for her to explain. She decided to be blunt. "I thought you were just trying to be friendly so you could have sex with me."

He coughed to keep from choking and pondered over her words. "Can I ask why you thought that?"

Karah peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. His concered expression still managed to charm her. "It's a long story."

"I promise to listen." He stated as he extended himself to look at her in the eye. "To all of it."

Her smile was small, almost sad despite his humor. She realized that she had been foolish. It was time to stop comparing Roger to Kili. They are two different people and there really was no comparison. And even if they could never be more than friends, Karah knew she could trust Kili. "I was in a relationship with someone that I thought I loved. As it turned out, he did not love me. He only loved what I was willing to put up with."

"Are you married?" Kili asked, afraid of the answer. He studied her hair, looking for any braids with marriage beads.

"Oh no! I thought he was going to propose, but we never made it that far." Karah explained, holding up her left hand to show the empty ring finger. "At first, he was the perfect boyfriend: charming, funny, loving. But he changed. I didn't notice it at first. He became very controlling, manipulative, and abusive. I thought he was just looking out for me, that he had my best interests at heart. I was very wrong. He only cared about himself, hiding his insecurities behind me."

Kili did not understand some of the terminology and had to have her explain some of them. He did not like hearing that he could have competition with this 'boyfriend.' He was determined to win her favor.

"One night, he got really drunk and he hit me and pushed me down the stairs. I tried to hide it from my family, but it was difficult to cover up black and blue bruises on my face and arms. My family was so furious that my dad visited Roger and made sure that he would never hurt another like he hurt me. He's sitting in jail until his parole next month."

"If he had done that here, he would be dead." Kili growled. He tenderly took her hand in his and held it in the grass between them. Patiently waiting to hear more, thinking of Karah and her needs helped keep the rage he felt against this, Roger, person. At least some form of justice was carried out by her father.

Karah was touched by the simple gesture, feeling calm and secure. "I promised myself that I would never let anyone, man or woman, make me feel the way he did. Nor will I tolerate that kind of behavior. When I met you, I felt the same feelings I did for Roger. That immediately made me weary of you. I did not think I could trust my feelings or my judgment."

"I trust you. But I wont push you to trust me." Kili stated seriously. His kind eyes staring into her hesitant ones. "I'm quite confident in my ability to prove to you that you can trust me, in time. It's not going to be easy, but I'm telling you it will be worth it."

Dunk! A rock landed in the creek, splashing them with water. They looked around to see who threw it and saw Bifur glaring at them. Jordan had her back turned to them, trying to respect their privacy.

Karah knew immediately what had the menacing dwarf upset. "I have to go. I'm late for my lesson with Dwalin."

Kili jumped to his feet and helped her stand. His assessment of Bifur was entirely different than Karah's. He had never courted anyone before, and he really wanted to with Karah. But with Bifur, Bofur, and Bombur acting as her unofficial guardian only spelled trouble for him. She had taken a couple steps away when a thought popped in to his head. "Why did you show me your hand when I asked if you were married?"

She turned around, pointed to the finger next to her small one, and called back. "In my world, married couples wear wedding rings on this finger on their left hands. There is vein in that finger that is directly connected to the heart. It is a symbol of the powerful vow of committing one's hearts to another."

Now he understood, and explained his own custom. "Dwarves wear braids and beads in their hair," Kili stated. He noticed her curiosity at that statement as she joined Bifur and Jordan, leaving him standing near the creek. He wondered if she recalled him asking her about her braid while they were in the cave in the Misty Mountains. He felt hope swell in his chest, until he locked eyes with Bifur. The witches had left him standing alone to address Kili.

 _We will talk later._ The older dwarf warned before he followed the witches to the front of the house where Dwalin was waiting.

"Ladies!" Dwalin barked. "I don't like to be kept waiting. And since you both decided to be late, we will begin our training session with: sprints, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups." Karah's mouth dropped open, and Jordan glared at him. "Well don't just stand there, get a move on!"

"I know this curse that will make him vomit slugs," Karah suggested to Jordan.

 _I'll freeze him so he can't run away._ Jordan pulled out her wand to do just that when Bifur came up behind them and snatched their wands away.

 _The sooner you get this done, the sooner you get your wands back._ Bifur signed.

The late morning and early afternoon passed by slowly for the witches. They were convinced that Dwalin was trying to torture them, not educate. He had taught them a few simple maneuvers and made them practice until they had them perfect. He warned them that they would be training every day when they stopped in their travels. Every time they groaned or complained, he made them do push-ups and sit-ups. When he finally called it quits for the day, he told them that if they used magic on him, he would snap their wands into pieces. Bifur warned them of the same thing when he handed them back.

Immediately, they went to the wash room to get the sweat and dirt off. Jordan and Karah were so tired that they did not put a whole lot of time into their appearance. They almost put their pajama's on, but it was still many hours before bed. Bombur had not even started making supper yet. Jordan had dressed in her grey tank top with the red and black plaid shirt, jeans, and her lucky knit hat. Karah dug in her bag and found a blue and pink floral print blouse to wear with her jeans. She put her hair in two French braids, so they would be a pretty wave when her hair dried.

The rest of the company had taken the day to check over, repair, and replenish their supplies. Béorn had been gracious enough to let them take whatever they needed and offered food to get them through the forest.

Fili and Kili had been careful to stay as far away from Bifur, Dwalin, and even Thorin. They had shared with each other at the creek what had gone on with the witches. But they did not want to face the wrath of any angry father-figures just yet. Alas, what they wanted was not what they were going to get.

"What has you both so anxious?" Thorin's deep voice was quiet behind them; but it thundered in their ears.

"Nothing!" Fili denied.

"Everything's fine." Kili added.

Thorin was not convinced. There was something going on with them and he was determined to find out. His nephews' behavior was drastically different from earlier that morning. "Has something happened with Jordan and Karah?" Their struggle to come up with a reply gave him his answer. He sat down in the grass next to them, waiting to hear them out. Fili appeared to be trying to find the words, Kili just looked guilty.

"Fine, if you both won't start then I will." Thorin cleared his throat. "Something seems to be bothering Bofur, Bombur, Dwalin, and especially Bifur. Do either you have any idea why?"

"Why don't you ask them?" Kili smartly retorted.

Thorin glared to hide his smirk. His youngest nephew's sass could be amusing, and at times he made it difficult to keep a cross face. "I'm asking you."

Fili took charge, as usual. "It seems that Jordan and Karah were angry at us."

"I gathered that as well."

"They did not know we were princes." Fili must have thought that would have been enough of an explanation. Thorin did not agree. "They thought that we were only interested in them for inappropriate reasons."

"Are you?"

"NO!" They both defended loudly in unison.

"Are you interested in them at all?" Thorin asked directly.

The youngest ones were always the first to spill. "Uncle, I won't deny that I have feelings for Karah. When I'm with her, I'm not lonely. I'm glad I met her, and honored to call her my friend. And when I've proven to her that she can trust me, I wish to court her with the intention of marrying her."

Thorin was not surprised to hear this from Kili. He felt sympathy that he felt alone to begin with, and happy that he found a solution. "Fili?"

"She's my One." Fili stated plainly. "The feelings I have for her are unlike any that I've ever had before, like I'm complete. I can tell that she feels the same way for me."

Thorin had guessed some time ago that this is where his nephews' futures were going. He had many thoughts run through his head, but first he needed to voice the most pressing one. "Fili, she is dealing with a great loss. Are you sure that she feels the same as you and it's not just her working through her grief?"

Fili considered his uncle's words before speaking. "I think it was in the beginning. But our friendship has grown beyond that, and I will do whatever it takes to see her smiling and happy. Because she makes me smile and happy."

Thorin listened intently to his nephews. It was a hard thing to digest that they were growing up, falling in love, and wanting to settle down. Well, settle down as much as they could. His sister, Dis, would be thrilled! If these witches were in fact Fili and Kili's Ones, then Dis had a better chance at getting her second greatest desire, grandchildren. The line of Durin would be sustained by both brothers. And once they reclaimed Erébor, it would be the strongest of the dwarf kingdoms. Not to mention, having powerful, good witches to keep it protected, and their bloodline would be infused with magic. Their allies would be invaluable, not to mention the access of trade in Middle Earth and all the other Gates they had access too.

He had to shake his head to settle his racing mind. The possibilities were endless. At the moment though, his nephews needed him to be their uncle, not their king. "Do Karah and Jordan know this?"

The last time Fili and Kili looked this: embarrassed, concerned, and guilty, was when Dis caught them, with little Gimli's help, stealing biscuits from the pot before breakfast.

"They may have some idea." Fili suggested.

"We never got to completely explain." Kili added.

Thorin's jaw fell rolled awkwardly to the slide as he rubbed his chin. "I gather this is why Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Dwalin are a little perturbed."

"Maybe." Fili mumbled through his bitten lip.

"I believe so, yes." Kili confirmed and scratched the back of his neck.

All three of them let out a sigh. Their mannerisms gave no doubt that they were family. Thorin was truly happy for them, but he needed to keep the peace in his company if they were to be successful in their quest. His nephews needed to keep their heads out of their arses with the witches. The witches needed to relax a little. And their temporary guardians, well, give the young ones a little space. Well, not too much space. After all, it was difficult to mask the humor he saw between his nephews and his friends.

Thorin smiled at them, truly happy. "Alright, well, good luck with that." He slapped his knees as he stood up to go back inside. Both nephews look shocked.

"That's it?" Fili was expecting a sound tongue lashing, and some words of wisdom.

"No advice this time?" Kili prompted, also foreseeing a long lecture from his uncle.

Thorin's smile grew a little bigger and shrugged. "I've never met my One, so I have no idea how to help you with this." That truth made his nephews look so depleted. He took pity on them, searching his brain for help. "I guess you could start by making your intensions clear-."

Fili and Kili brightened with that suggestion.

"To Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, and Dwalin." Thorin finished and headed back inside.

Their hopes were dashed again.

"And Fili, pink is a lovely shade for you!" Their uncle called over his shoulder, hearing his oldest nephew groan, and the younger busting his gut.


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Inside Béorn's home, everyone but the Durin family was winding down and lounging about the living room. Bombur was busy with Béorn preparing dinner. Each dwarf had little things that kept them busy while they waited; every now and again someone would share a memory or a joke. Soon, the wonderful aroma of food was setting in the air.

Jordan had forgotten about some of the stuff that she packed. One of the items being her most favorite surprise, her mp3 player! She had roughly three days of music stored on it. She turned it on to check the battery life, satisfied that she still had a ninety-five percent. She was about to put the ear buds in when Karah gasped.

"Does that actually work here?" Karah pointed at the device.

 _I'm about to find out. It has a full charge._ Jordan could hardly contain her excitement. _I learned how to use magic to power electronics after I graduated grade school._

"That's amazing! Very advanced magic." Karah was momentarily stunned, then her thoughts drifted. "I miss home." She did not feel bad about it, knowing that everyone present would understand.

 _Me too. You know what sounds good right now, coffee._ Jordan moaned as much as a mute could. _And Kraft's Mac 'n' Cheese._

Karah laughed and turned back to reading her healing book. "Your such an American muggle."

Jordan rolled her eyes. _Oh don't give me that! I've seen lines out the door at Starbucks in London._ Jordan defended with a little bit of sass.

Karah caved, thinking over some of her favorite things from their world. _"_ Coffee does sound delightful, with some vanilla and milk."

 _Or ice cream, with peanut butter and chocolate, or sea salt caramel and chocolate._

"Mint chocolate chip," Karah could almost picture a bowl full of her favorite frozen treat.

"What's all that?" Bilbo asked, sitting with them around the fire with what must have been a cup of tea in one hand and his pipe in the other.

"They're desserts that are as cold as ice."

Bilbo remembered the sweet candy that Jordan shared with him. "I'm surprised you don't have any in those bottomless bags you have."

"They have to be kept frozen. Do you have freezers here?" Karah asked.

"What's a freezer?" Bofur chimed it, taking off his boots. His turn to use the wash room was coming up.

"That's a no." Karah decided before describing, "it's a cupboard that you keep food and drinks cold or frozen."

 _Runs on electricity or magic_. Jordan always had a theory about the various differences between the muggle world, wizard world, and middle earth. Yet another reason she was proud of her heritage and nationality, she and Blair had the best of all the worlds. Pure Blood status was the most respected in the wizard community. However, the irony that the muggle-born witches and wizards would have the best chance of survival in all the worlds. They would have: been taught how to control their magic and use it, being raised in the muggle world with literature and folklore that talked about everything in all the worlds, and be able to blend in as a muggle and wizard. What they did not know, they would have the means of finding out with various sources and connections. The internet, being one of the more popular options, was truly an amazing thing.

This whole discussion really got her thinking about home, her friends and family, both wizard and muggle. She remembered many of the places she visited with her family, but also the places she toured with her band. She had her favorite spots and places she would never set foot in again. Fond memories and horrid ones.

Looking at Karah, Jordan remembered the time her cousin and family came to visit them in Michigan and they all went to the movies one afternoon, by Jordan's dad insistence. They saw the latest Star Wars film. When they went home, all of the cousins were researching on how to make a light saber. Their idea did not work, but it was still a lot of fun.

"Someone is in deep thought." Fili commented when he, Kili, and Thorin returned from outside. He was standing a few feet away with an expression like he had already guessed what going through her mind, like it was a game to him. His amusement only grew when she scowled, almost proving his point. He was about to take the empty spot next to her when Bifur beat him too it. Dwalin must have been watching as well and sat down on the other side of Karah. Fili glanced at his brother, who also appeared frustrated as well. The Durin brothers chose to sit on one of the benches in the dining room, and kept the table at their backs. They were still a part of the conversations and a short distance from the witches.

Both menacing dwarves did it on purpose, reading each other's silent signals. In all reality, Bifur was quite happy with the idea of Fili and Kili paring with Jordan and Karah. But the young dwarves needed to work hard to win over the lassies. He could see that Thorin did not disapprove of the matches either. Only Bifur wanted clarification on where their king stood before things went too far. While doing so, he and Dwalin would not let the witches' reputation be ruined with any inappropriate incidents.

He realized that the witches did have a family out there searching for them. He was not sure how the Gatekeeper would react to the unions. They had the final say, after the ladies themselves, of course. That would be an issue to deal with when the time was right. In the end, no matter where Jordan and Karah ended up, Bifur hoped that he could still be a part of their lives once the quest was completed; they were the closest he would ever come to being a father. At this rate, he had nothing to worry about. The witches were annoyed more at the princes than their self-appointed guardians.

Thorin just sat at the head of the table, watching the whole interaction. His nephews' backs were to him so he did not bother to hide his smile. Fili and Kili had Thorin's approval and they knew that now. As long as they kept their main focus on the quest and Erébor, he was satisfied to see Fili and Kili happy; and thusly securing the family line in ways he never dreamed. Dwalin and Bifur's behavior was also entertaining as well as helpful. They would help keep the young ones in check.

 _I was just thinking about the good old days when life was simpler._ Jordan only glanced at Fili but answered for everyone. His playful and knowing staring was too distracting. She felt her face get warm, and she hoped that it was not noticeable, or even better her embarrassment appear to be the warmth from the fire. _Movies._

"What did she say?" Nori asked, looking through various items his dug from his many pockets.

"Movies," Karah answered. "They are like plays or skits, but recorded so you can watch them over and over."

"How can you do that?" Dori refilled his and Bilbo's cups of tea.

It was pretty difficult explaining how films were made when they had never even heard of a camera. The only thing they could do was show them their family photos they brought along and go from there.

"I recall the first movie you showed me," Karah began, pointing at Jordan. "It was Cinderella."

 _I remember that. We stole your sister's wand and tried the spell the fairy godmother used._ Jordan started laughing and nearly fell over.

"Yeah and it actually worked! Some of your mom and dad's breakable trinkets went flying all over the living room!" Karah finished. "Good times. The fairy godmother is still one of my most favorite characters still."

 _Not surprised._ Jordan grinned. _Remember all the fights we would get into about the TV remote?_

Karah knew all too well. "It's funny how all trust goes away when someone is looking for it. The last time, you tackled Blair from behind the couch!"

 _He claimed he wasn't sitting on it. And when I asked him to stand up and prove it, he said no!_ Jordan defended herself. _Little liar._

"I'd like to go to your world one day." Ori's curiosity joined the conversation. "To see all of the things you talk about would be wonderful."

Kili nodded. "That's an excellent idea! When we beat the dragon, let's go!"

The company must not have ever considered that possibility before, now they were. More of the group than expected seemed genuinely interested in the idea. Only a few, Thorin, Balin, and maybe Dwalin did not appear overly enthusiastic about that travel idea.

Jordan definitely had reservations about it. If they knew how to get to her world, they could ruin everything. However, in order to keep her cover, she had to pretend otherwise. _Could you picture all of them at a rock concert?_

"Like the Weird Sisters? Are you sure that's a good idea?" Karah questioned. "Of all things, a rock concert?"

"What's a rock concert?" Fili lite his pipe and puffed the smoke.

 _Oh my go- imagine Bifur, Dwalin, and Thorin in a mosh pit? Or Dori, Gloin, and Oin crowd surfing!_ Jordan could not hold in her excitement. Both witches busted out laughing and unwittingly ignored the question. _This is going to happen! We will make this happen!_

"What's a rock concert?" Kili took a turn at trying to get the answer. He was just as unsuccessful in the endeavor.

Bifur eyed the witches suspiciously. _What are you plotting?_

Karah thought she could explain much more diplomatically. "We want to bring you to our world and show you around. That's all."

"Sure it is," Blain dramatically agreed.

"What is a rock concert!?" Gloin called. "Do they play songs with rocks?"

 _It's a type of music._ Jordan realized that she did not bring any speakers with her so everyone could listen to her mp3. _Music has so many different types that come from rich histories and cultures. It's impossible to name them all. More common ones are: classical, jazz, blues, country, rock, punk, pop, rap, indie, reggae. I could go on for days. You can listen to some on my mp3 if you want. Some of my band's work is on there too._

"May I after dinner?" Ori wanted to experience as much as possible. "Will you please tell us more about your world?"

"Yeah, what's your world like?" Oin had be working on opening up his smashed ear horn.

"Oh where to begin?" Karah thought out loud. She looked at Jordan who appeared to be giving it a great deal of thought as well to come up with other things. "It depends on where you go. There are tropical climates, deserts, frozen tundra, mountains, oceans, wet lands, plains, enormous cities, tiny villages. I bet that Middle Earth is a mirrored version of our world, the only differences being modern technology and advancements."

"What is technology?" Dwalin looked baffled.

"That's all you, Jordan." Karah handed the reins over. "Her dad is a muggle, and their family lives in a muggle community."

Again, Jordan thought about her answer. _It's hard to explain technology. The best way I can, it's learning and studying things that have any kind of practical use, and improving upon them. It's a branch of knowledge. Your tools, weapons, quills, paper, machines, those are all considered forms of technology. And at one point, modern technology when they were first applied to daily life._

Yet another thing that was confusing to them. They all started looking over their belongings and pondering what she said. After a few minutes, heads started to bob, understanding the explanation.

"Dinner is ready." Béorn called out to the company.

Everyone was getting to their feet to make their way to the dining room. Bombur had set the table and was grinning like a child during Christmas at the meal he and the skin-changer made.

Fili jumped off his seat and stood in front of Jordan. She had been smiling and laughing with the rest of the company until she laid eyes on him. _Can we talk?_ He hoped that if he signed, it would appeal to her better.

 _Mutes can't talk._ She replied sarcastically, squishing his hope. _And I'm hungry._

 _We can eat while we sign._ Fili tried again hoping to cut out any other argument. He held a hand to her to help her up. He tried not to read into her begrudging behavior. The fact that she accepted his hand was a small victory and he would take it. He wondered if her discussing her family, specifically her brother, and her culture, softened her attitude. Either way, he was going to keep his promise to her back in Rivendell; and if that meant he had to suffer through her wrath, he would.


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Just a quick note from me! I've decided upload a group of chapters, because they all flow together. That's why it has taken me so long to get them done. I'm really excited about this and I would love to hear some feedback! Thank you for taking time to read and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

There was a picnic table with six chairs carved out of tree trunks, obviously for people Béorn's size. The yard had a perfect view of the lush green terrain and the proud snowcapped mountains. Some of the animals were out grazing, and the bees buzzed for pollen to make their honey. And much to Fili's disappointment, all of this was in perfect view from the windows. One of them, Bifur was clearly visible, and in a second was Bofur, Bombur in a third, Dwalin in the fourth, and probably the worst of all, Thorin in the fifth. As if he was not on edge enough without their watchful eyes.

He had set his food on the table and helped the reluctant Jordan into one of the large chairs, and then jumped into the one next to her. For a minute, they ate quietly, not sure on what to say. Fili was nervous and excited at the same time. It had been a long while since they last had a decent conversation. He missed her company and badly wanted to mend any and all broken bridges.

When he could not stand it any longer, he blurted the first thing that popped into his head. "Tell me one of your secrets."

Jordan raised her brows at him. She noted that he had no qualm asking blunt and private questions. _And why would I do that?_

 **Why did you say that, you halfwit!?** Fili cursed himself for his poor choice. Since she did not outright shoot him down, he decided to roll with it. "I'll tell you the prophecy about Erébor."

 _What makes you think I haven't discovered the prophecy by now?_

That changed the tone of his playful banter. It was not exactly a secret, but he did not think that she would go to the lengths of asking any of the other dwarves about it. Now what was he supposed to use as leverage to keep her talking to him?

 _Why are you so interested in my secrets?_ She narrowed her eyes and ate.

His smile was sheepish. "Because you are quite a mystery. And I wish to figure you out."

That surprised Jordan some and made her rethink her defensive strategy. _There's nothing to figure out, Fili._

"Then why do you carry a Forgetfulness Potion?" Fili asked knowing it was a very bold move. He could screw up this opportunity by asking the wrong question or saying the wrong thing. At the moment, not discussing what happened between them that morning was the best way to keep the conversation going in the direction he wanted.

She found it odd that he would remember that. _Isn't it obvious? Because there are times that I want to drink it. I want to forget everything that has happened to me and start over. Why do you want to know so bad?_

"Isn't it obvious?" Fili replied plainly. "Because I'd like to get to know you better."

 _Why? Because you tried to kiss me earlier?_ Jordan was determined to get to the bottom of this.

Fili's smile fell and looked a little uncomfortable and taken aback. He had never been questioned about his intentions by a girl before, at least, not so bluntly. He coughed a little and tried to clear his throat but it did not help. The irony that he did not need his voice, but he felt more confident with it. He guessed that he now understood what Jordan felt every day. "I've grown very fond of you. And I'm really happy that I've gotten to meet you; and that you have honored me with your trust since we have met, or what is left of it."

 _But how could you be fond of someone like me? You are royalty and I'm not. I'd never fit in with your lifestyle, or the people that you associate with. Besides the fact that I'm usually the one entertaining your kind of people. Beyond that, I have a lot of baggage. You don't know everything that's wrong with me._

"My kind of people?" Fili frowned at her. He did not like hear that come from her. She had led him to believed that their races did not matter to her. "It bothers you that I'm a dwarf?"

 _Oh please! You being a dwarf had nothing to do with me wanting to kiss you. I find it quite offensive that you would think that!_ Jordan unintentionally confessed. Seeing an immediate change in Fili's body language did not clue her in either. Continuing on with her rant, _And you already know a lot about me. I don't know much about you. Except that you are a dwarf with blonde hair, your eyes have super powers, you carry more knives than a ninja, you have at least one brother, your uncle is a king, which makes you a PRINCE._

"You're making a dismal face. I suppose I can assume that me being a prince an unpleasant discovery." Fili did not miss her saying she wanted to kiss him. His heart was pounding and his face grew red that he did not want to make her scowl.

 _Because it is._

"Wha- I don't understand." Now he was scowling.

 _I don't know anything about your culture, let alone your monarchy social structure. I'm American. We don't have kings, queen, princes, or princesses. Most importantly, I don't know anything about you, your majesty._ She dragged out the last part for emphasis before turning back to her food. She had thought of grabbing her dinner and returning inside the house.

Now he understood. "Jordan, please listen to me." Fili stopped her from leaving by putting his hand over hers and held her gaze. "My mother raised Kili and I in the Blue mountains, without pampering, luxury, and privilege. I've worked everyday since I was old enough. Yes, I'm a prince and so is Kili. But we were raised with all the other dwarflings, alongside the common and gentry."

She looked down to his hand. They were rough, calloused, and his skin could use a thorough scrubbing. She could tell that he was not lying about his upbringing. She had also seen some scars on his arms and torso. He was as skilled laborer but still learning to be a leader. _I still don't know you._

"You know you can trust me. And you're right, I know more about you than you do of me. So let's change that."

 _What are you suggesting?_

"Stay and spend time with me the rest of the evening." He blurted without thinking.

 _Are you asking me out on a date?_

He looked perplexed by her request. "Bit of an odd requirement for an evening, but I will look around for some."

 _Some what?_ Now Jordan was confused.

"Dates. I will see if there are any grown here, but I won't make any promises. We might have to settle for some other fruit for dessert."

They both starred at each other, still confused. It took her a minute, but Jordan soon figured it out.

 _I'm sorry, I didn't mean date, the fruit. I meant a date, as in an outing with just the two of us._

"Yes, that's what I meant." Fili answered carefully. "Would you care to spend the remainder of the evening with me so we may get to know each other better?" He asked formally.

Jordan smiled nervously. It was a bad idea, getting close to him; and the curse forbade her. She wanted a relationship with him and end this longingness. It was difficult to explain, but the pull that she felt for him made her feel like she was a whole person again. It had to be divine intervention that brought them together; but Jordan failed to see how this could ever work out. She would have to make a choice, Blair or Fili. And blood was thicker than water. She was not willing to sacrifice her brother's life for her love life. If Blair was not the deciding factor, she could very well see the rest of her life alongside Fili. She had never felt this way before about anyone. At that very moment, she listened to her heart. _Yes, I will. But don't be surprised if our evening gets cut shorter than what you planned. Bifur is on the warpath._

Fili chuckled at her joke. He was glad that she felt comfortable enough to laugh with him again. What he really wanted to do was lean over, and finish the kiss he was going to give her earlier. He thought that probably would not go over well. Deciding on another topic, "What's a ninja?"

Jordan laughed again. _I will show you, one day if you come to my world._

"Do you promise?"

 _Only if you tell me more about yourself._

He chuckled at her insistence. "Well… I've never been to Erébor, only told stories. Kili and I were born in the Blue Mountains. My father, Bili, died from illness when we were little and my mother and Uncle Thorin raised us. I play the fiddle, so does Kili."

 _Why didn't you join in with me back in Rivendell?_ Jordan asked.

"Because you completely bewitched me that I could not look away from you." Fili held her gaze, loving seeing her blush. "My best friend growing up was Aux. We used to get into so much mischief. One time, me, Aux, Kili, and his friend Gimli, let one of the bulls out of its pen and it crashed a party. It was a disaster and my mother was furious at us." While he talked, out of habit, it pulled out one of his smaller daggers and cleaned the dirt out from under his finger nails.

 _Where is he now?_ Jordan was surprised that his best friend did not join the quest.

It pleased Fili that she was interested in his friends. "He had to stay back so when we took back Erébor, there would still be trained guards to bring our people back."

 _How old were you when you the bull loose? A teenager?  
_ "I'm not sure what that is," Fili stated.

 _An adolescent._

"Um no," Fili's smirk grew as the truth came out. "It was two summers ago."

 _How old are you?_ Jordan asked, almost scared to find out.

"Eighty-two."

Jordan's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. _I beg your pardon?_

"Eighty-two. How old are you?"

 _Twenty-four._

Fili's expression matched Jordan's and his jaw nearly hit the ground when he extended his neck forward. "How old is Karah?"

 _Twenty-five. Kili?_

"Seventy-seven."

 _I guess it's safe to say that you being a prince matters far less than our age difference._

"I suppose it should. However, humans and dwarves age very differently. Humans taking less time to mature, but your lives are shorter." Fili explained. He put his knife away and gave her his undivided attention. He felt daring enough to even hold her hand again. "Neither one of us can help when we were born. Nor can we help how we feel about each other."

 _And how do you feel?_

"I feel that we were brought together for a purpose. When we are together, I'm happy, like I'm my whole self." Fili declared with soft sincerity. "How do you feel?"

 _That you are a distraction._ It was a double meaning. Her breath caught in her lungs that he described his feelings to be identical to hers.

"A distraction?" He sounded hurt by her statement; anticipating her next words, he began preparing to lose all hope. He had bared his soul and she had not said anything that would indicate that she returned those feelings.

 _Yep, and I'm still figuring it out if that's good or bad._ Jordan smiled, and plucked another dagger from his pocket. _This is beautiful work. Did you make it?_

He shook his head, now anxious about their future together. "No, my father. He made one for me, Kili, and my mother. I made most of my other ones, and my swords. I also make armor, tools, and jewelry."

 _Did you make your beads?_ She pointed to them in his hair and beard.

"Some of them. They all mean something different." Fili leaned closer, so she could see them better. "They used to be considerably smaller, and not so pink."

Jordan smirked at him. She did not feel bad at all for changing them. He deserved it.

"Will you change them back, please?" He made a pouty face, making his ocean blue eyes big. They almost appeared green, depending on the light. He was very difficult to resist, and he must have known it.

 _But fuchsia suits you!_

"Yes, well, as the future king I can't have my subjects laughing at me."

 _You deserved it. You stole my wand._

"That's also true, but you were avoiding me. I wanted your attention. And you needed to see reason for learning to defend yourself without it." Fili pointed out. Jordan started to make her own point when he cut her off. "Which we already worked out that issue, correct?"

She set the dagger down on the table between them. Resting her elbows, she leaned near him. _What do I get if I change them back?_

Fili read the signs and took a gamble. He closed the gap between them and softy touched his lips to hers. His eyes were closed but his imagination was visualizing her every move. She did not pull back or push him away and that was a good reading. Not wanting to ruin it, he ended it but stayed near. He felt her breath on his rosy cheek and his smile grew seeing her beautiful face flushed.

This kiss did not last long, roughly two Mississippi's; Jordan counted. It was absolutely heavenly! Her stomach fluttered and her spine and lips were tingling. She was not expecting it to happen and was pleasantly surprised. Her first reaction was to taste her lips. She smiled when Fili did the same thing.

Pulling out her wand she vanished the color from the beads, and restored them to their original sizes. _I guess that's a fair trade._


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Adele. "Make You Feel My Love." 19. 2008**

* * *

Things were back to normal, as close to normal as the mixed company could be. No one was angry, fighting, or upset; well not completely. Fili and Kili were not on the best terms with Bifur, and Dwalin was acting more of a mediator between them. No one really spoke to each other while they packed up and ate their breakfast. Fili, Kili, and Ori decided to enjoy their meal outside in the beautiful sunshine. The rest of them sat at the table.

When Karah and Jordan finally woke up and dressed, they were already in better moods than the day prior. Karah had put on a flowy floral shirt, jeans, and her blue tennis shoes, with a couple of jewelry accessories. She left her dark auburn hair down but braided a piece to look like a headband. It was a little thing, but it made her feel pretty, and she wanted to feel that way in front of Kili. Jordan had cleaned her Hockeytown t-shirt, put on jeans, and her black tennis shoes. She left her asymmetrical hair straight, and checked over her earrings to make sure they were still in place. They had magically packed up their gear and already had their bags draped over their shoulders. Their cloaks remained in the bag since it was such a nice day.

"I can't stop thinking about how Kili and Fili would look in wizard robes." Karah whispered quietly so the dwarves inside would not hear, while dishing herself a bowl of whatever was still in the pot over the fire.

 _I wonder how they would look in jeans._ Jordan added, tilting her head in wonder. _Seriously! Fili's got a nice a-."_

"You're such a Yankee muggle," Karah rolled her eyes.

 _Yeah, whatever Red Coat._ Jordan teased back, making their way outside to join the younger members of the company.

 _Mini MM &M's taste better than the normal M&M's. Don't even try to argue with me on this one._ Jordan signed; she had charmed her bowl and spoon to float next to her as they walked. She knew full well that this was a pointless argument, but it was entertaining.

"Your premise of an argument is utter nonsense! They are made exactly the same way, just smaller. More to the point, the original is always better, case closed!" Karah firmly stated.

 _Wana bet? We can find out right now. I have a plan._ Jordan challenged confidently.

"Is it a good one?" Karah knew that was a whole other argument. Jordan was nortorious for coming up with ludicrous ideas.

 _I have a plan,_ she repeated and smiled mischievously at Fili, Kili, and Ori; they were sitting at the large picnic table. They started to jump down from their seats to do the gentlemanly thing and help them into their chairs. But she felt bad, and she could get into her chair perfectly fine on her own, so she motioned for them to stay where they were.

Fili only slightly ignored Jordan's suggestion, he stayed in his seat, however he offered her a hand to pull her up. "Good morning."

 _Morning._ Jordan signed. _We need your help to settle an argument for us._ Once she was comfortable, she started digging in her bag. Immediately she found her mp3 player and summoned for the mini speakers. She searched for music to play in the background while they ate breakfast. She decided to pick something simple that would not freak them out. Adele was the perfect choice as an introduction into her world's music culture! The English singer and songwriter could captivate her audience and put their minds at ease.

"What's the argument?" Ori asked and watched Jordan assemble the strange small contraptions.

"It's silly and it can wait until after we're done eating." Karah decided. She was about to set her bowl down when Ori offered to hold it for her, and Kili copied his brother and pulled her up. She sat between them and thanked them both for their help.

Jordan would not give up; she had a point to prove to her cousin. _We want you to taste something, and tell us which one is better._

The dwarves all looked skeptical at the witches. There was not enough information offered to make a sound decision to participate or not.

"It's too early to hear you bicker." Kili pouted.

 _You sound like my brother._ Jordan grumbled.

"It's not as bad as it sounds," Karah assured them. Purposely switching the subject, she turned to Jordan and her task. "Who is going to serenade us while we eat?"

 _I thought Adele would be a safe choice._ Jordan sighed. _I don't want to scare them right away. But my first choice for rock music will be Trans-Siberian Orchestra._

She hit the play button and the song Make You Feel My Love came on. It was perfect and Fili, Kili, and Ori really seemed to enjoy it. They asked many questions about the music, which lead to some culture questions. The more they asked, the more determined they were about going with Jordan and Karah to visit and see some of their world. All in all, the witches were all for it. When it would be safe for the family to return, they promised to bring them.

Fili was amazed by what they had been told. He made Jordan promise to bring him to her favorite places, both muggle and magical. Wanting to see: her home, where she grew up, and go to places they both have never been. He like the idea of traveling by cars, motorcycles, and the Floo network. Traveling by brooms, he was a little apprehensive. Flying with the Eagles was enough for his lifetime. He listened while his brother and Ori asked question after question about the other world. After a few more minutes, he brought the discussion back to the witches' debate. "What did you need us to settle for you?"

Karah narrowed her eyes at her cousin. "We need you to taste a couple things, and tell us which one is better."

"What is it?" Kili asked, slightly alarmed at the idea.

 _It's more muggle candy._ Jordan explained. _It's similar to the Kit Kat bar you tried in the Misty Mountains._

"I'm up for it!" Ori volunteered. And since he did, the other two dwarves were not about to be out done in front of their sweethearts.

Each dwarf was given equal amounts of each size of M&M. The witches explained the sweet, telling them exactly what they were eating, and let the dwarves decide which one they liked better. Then they defended their arguments while the dwarves made their choice. It took a few minutes, but they all had made an opinion.

Ori was first. "I like the bigger ones better. There is more chocolate. When we all go to your world, I want to get some. In fact, I want the recipe for Bombur and see if he'll make it."

Karah had the 'I told you so' look on her face. Turning to Kili, she expected him to share in the opinion.

"I like the smaller ones," Kili smiled out of the corner of his mouth and shrugged. "The flavor is richer."

 _Thank you, Kili!_ Jordan grinned at him and her cousin. **He and Blair are going to get along very well.** She thought to herself.

"I thought you were on my side!" Karah pouted. He looked like he was ready to change his mind. "I'm only kidding. I promise! You have the right to your own opinion. I just hope your brother has some logical sense."

Fili just chuckled at the whole scenario. "They taste the same to me."

Both witches went limp in their chairs. Now what were they going to do!? There could not be another tie! They needed to settle this once and for all.

 _Oh snap!_ Jordan made the circle and finger snapping gesture. _Ain't nobody got time for this! We need another person. Let's ask Béorn!_

The skin changer had entered through the outer gate. He had a long pole in his hand that he staked in the ground. It was a little too far away to make out what attached to it.

Jordan did not pay any attention to it. She smiled and waved him over to the table. _Will you help us settle an argument?_

He walked over, clearly exhausted from the night before. He had grown fond of the witches during their stay. "What can I do for you?"

"We are trying to decide between the M&M's, which ones are better." Karah explained.

They had to give him a larger portion of each while they explained the test like they did for the dwarves. He pondered the candies for a moment, they were completely foreign to him. "I don't taste a difference. One is just smaller than the other."

The witches threw their hands in the air in defeat.

Béorn could not keep the smile from his lips. Then sobering thought of his night in the woods moved him to help the witches where it really mattered. "I suggest you hurry and finish your meal."

"What's wrong?" Fili asked, noticing a difference in his demeanor.

"I need to speak with Gandalf and Thorin," Béorn replied.

"What was that?" Ori pointed to the spike in the grass.

"Take a look for yourself." Béorn answered mysteriously and walked away.

Béorn had gone out in his bear form the night before. He made it very clear to stay inside the house. Obviously, he had been successful in his endeavor. The stake was a warning of some kind. Something with a roundish shape was on top, and possibly a flag or banner on the bottom.

Jordan got down from her chair to investigate. Everyone was equally curious, only none of them wanted to leave the table. They waited for her to tell them what it was.

"Hey Jordan, go touch it!" Kili shouted to her.

Fili reached over the table and slapped his brother's arm. "Don't challenge her to do that."

Jordan turned around and signed, _What do I get if I do?_

Kili leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "She won't do it, no one's that crazy to touch whatever Béorn brought home."

 _Wana bet?_ Jordan mimicked his movements, and stuck her hip out for good measure.

"Yes! If you don't touch it, I win, and you have to kiss Fili." Kili's smug look made her laugh.

Jordan was disappointed. She was expecting something: disgusting, dangerous, annoying, or tedious. Fili must not have told him that they had already kissed. She looked at the older brother, and he appeared to be smug' perfectly happy with the idea. _What are you, thirteen? If I win, do you want to kiss Karah?_

Kili got down from his seat. He was avoiding looking at Karah, afraid that his face would turn as red as a tomato if he looked at her. "Do we have a wager?" He held out his hand to her.

 _If you want to kiss her so badly, why don't you just do it and not waste time betting with me?_ Jordan pointed out. Looking at Karah, she decided this was not a good idea. Her cousin's relationship with Kili was delicate and she was surprised that he even led them to believe he wanted this to be the outcome. This is where she drew the line for meddling in Karah's love life. She was not willing to put her in a situation she was not ready for. _If I win, you have to eat one of the candies from the Skiving Snackbox._

He looked a little disappointed. "Is that one of the Weasley Wizard Wheezes' things you told us about? Done!" and they shook on it.

Together they walked to the front of it, both cocky and conceited that they would be the winner. They were not quite prepared for the actual object because as soon as they looked at it, disgust over took them. It was the head of a horrifying goblin spiked through the pole. Its mouth was awkwardly open with its tongue dangling over its sharp teeth. The eyes were wide and popping out of the sockets. The wind blew its dirty hair, along with the skin of a dead warg that was nailed below it.

"What is it?" Ori asked again.

Kili answered, "It's a goblin head, and warg fur." He looked to Karah, then to Jordan. He thought about offering to retract his end of the bet. But that would probably mean he would automatically loose the wager. It appeared he would be the victor anyway.

Jordan did not recognize it as an individual, but it looked very similar to the creatures that Milhauke had in his employ. Her face paled, and she stood as still as one of the statues that was built in the Blue Mountains. Images of her parents dead and brother in pain made her renounce her attitude. _You win._ She turned and walked back to the table, grabbed her bowl, and walked inside.

Kili felt guilty and knew that he would have to apologize. He decided to wait a little while before he approached her. After being on the receiving end of her magic, it did not want to further upset her. He went back to his seat at the table, but pushed his half eaten bowl away. Fili was glaring at him, Ori was perturbed, and Karah winced.

"That is absolutely fowl." Karah stated. "Why did he have to bring that here?"

"To warn them off," Ori answered gravely.

Béorn called Gandalf to speak privately on the edge of his property, while the dwarves readied to leave. He had already shown the company where they could find blankets and other necessities for riding. Their conversation was not heard, but it was difficult to miss the worried expressions on their faces. Hearing screeching of orcs off in the distance, crows calling out to each other echoed through the trees. Knowing that creatures that wanted to kill them all and hearing their cries put everyone on edge, spooked, and nervous to get moving.

The beautiful and majestic ponies were itching to stretch their legs. They tossed their groomed black and white manes in excitement. Jordan stood a few feet away from one of them, arms crossed over her chest, glaring at the animal. Oddly enough, the pony was glaring back.

"Need a hand?" Fili whispered in her ear. He was standing very close, leaning over her shoulder. He purposely closed in, hoping that Jordan would take this opportunity to pay for her loss of the wager. He was not about to remind her; remembering how intimidated she looked when she looked at the goblin head. Only kept himself strategically placed near her for when she would be ready.

Jordan shook her head. _I'm not riding a horse._

"Pony," Fili corrected. "Why, can't get a leg up? You're so small, I'm not surprised." He jested.

 _Short jokes, really?_ Jordan raised an eyebrow and poked him in the shoulder. She knew it was justice, since she made fun of Karah being short. What goes around, comes around. _You're the dwarf._

"Yes, and I'm supposed to be small." He countered nudging her closer to the beast. "You on the other hand, are human, supposedly taller than dwarves."

 _Shut up._ She playfully tried to go around him and away from the pony.

"Here, I'll help you." He took her shoulders, turned her around and forced her next to the pony. Then he locked his hands and fingers together for her foot and bent at his knees to lift her up.

She shook her head again. _I think I'll walk, or fly._

"Fly?" Kili questioned. He walked by them carrying a blanket for his pony. "How would you fly?"

Jordan replied by digging in her bag for her broom.

Karah had been following Kili and saw how her cousin was reacting to animals. She did not hide her exasperation when she reprimanded her. "Jordan, it was a long time ago. Stop being ridiculous and get on the pony! If flying was an option, we could have already flown to Laketown."

 _How about this… We fly the company, one at a time to the Lonely Mountain, and then apparate back?_ Jordan suggested.

"What's the problem?" Thorin demanded, coming onto the arguing pair and the on lookers.

"Jordan is afraid of horses. One tried to eat her hair once, and she hasn't been near one since." Karah rolled her eyes.

 _I'm not afraid of them. Horses and I just don't get along. Besides, I have another solution._ Jordan tried to defend herself.

Karah put an end to the argument. "Jordan, stop wasting time! It would take twice as long to travel if we flew there and back each member. And it's not safe. We are too exposed to everything that wants to eat us."

 _Invisibility cloaks._ Jordan replied. _And we will apparate back, it will take less time that way. Or we can apparate the whole company! Problem solved!_

"What is she saying?" Thorin wanted to know. If she had a better way of travel that would take less time, he was interested.

"She's speaking nonsense," Karah glared at her cousin. "She has a terrible idea and she knows it."

 _It is not!_ Jordan glared back.

Thorin was about to lose his patience with the bickering women. He looked to his nephews for clarification, but they appeared to be at a loss as well. It was too much to ask to keep his tone in check when he asked Karah to explain; he did manage to say 'please,' and 'thank you,' for good measure.

Karah did as Thorin asked and then turned back to Jordan. "You and I both know that we don't have the skill apparate to a location we've never been to at least once. And, you don't have the best track record for apparating with other people without splinching someone."

Thorin would never hit a woman, human or dwarf or any other creature; but the squabbling witches were making him reconsider. Giving his nephews a 'wake-up call,' as he like to put it, up the back of their heads, worked relatively well on them. "Enough! We don't have time for this foolishness. You either ride the pony or get left behind. Your choice." He left the young ones and pulled himself on the back of his pony. Looking around, he saw Gandalf still speaking with Béorn. "Gandalf, we need to leave!"

Jordan ground her teeth together at Thorin. She did not appreciate being ordered around like a child. Clenching her jaw, she accepted Fili's help onto the mount. At least they would get to ride together, so the company would be pleasant. She adjusted herself so there would be room in front of her.

Fili was just about to pull himself up, when he felt two hands on his shoulders forcing him back down. He turned around, confused and then his stomach sank. Bifur was standing there with his fatherly attitude. Pointing to the ready pony behind him, Bifur helped Fili on the back, and Kili when he arrived. Apparently, Dwalin did the same thing for Karah and sent Kili to share a pony with his brother. The rest of the company, including Bilbo, had to suppress a laugh when they witnessed the interaction. They were ready to leave, Gandlaf being the last to sit on his mount.

"Go while you have the light." Béorn instructed. Howling of a warg in the distance. "Your hunters are not far behind."

Thorin asked Balin and Gandalf to lead the way, taking up the rear in order to speak with Béorn one last time. "Thank you again, Master Béorn. You will always be welcome in Erébor."

And they were off, in a race to get to Mirkwood before they were caught.


	13. Chapter 13

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

Traveling on the ponies had been a quick and quiet trip. The company was well aware of the dangers following them, between the orcs, wargs, and goblins. For a short term goal, they aimed to get to Mirkwood, and be safely inside the gates before their pursuers caught on to their trail. It was midday when that goal was achieved.

"What is this place?" Karah asked. She was still seated on the pony she shared with Dwalin.

Gandalf answered. "This, my dear Karah, is Mirkwood. Our path continues through the Elven Gate."

Dwalin hopped down from the pony. "We must be lucky," he grasped Karah by her waist and carefully set her down. "No sign of orcs or wargs, or anything else that wants to kill us."

"Look!" Oin pointed to the mountains and forest they just cleared. "Master Béorn has been fallowing us, keeping an eye out." They all turned and let out a sigh of relief.

Gandalf nodded, understanding one of the reasons why the skin-changer was following them. "Let the ponies return to their master."

Bifur and Jordan were close to the back of the group. He jumped down and turned to help his mentee, but Fili beat him to it. He glared at the youngster, but started to unlace his belongings from the pony. He was satisfied that Jordan walked away from them to Karah, and Fili was left to focus on his own pony.

"Is it another forest? It feels-," Karah began walking closer to the gate behind Gandalf.

"Sick, diseased." Bilbo finished as he came to stand next to her. "Is there no other way around?"

"Yes, if we wish to travel two hundred miles north, and twice that distance south." Gandalf called over his shoulder as he made his way deeper inside.

Suddenly, large rain clouds over took the sky. The sun was shielded, casting a shadow over the clearing and the gate. The forest already did not look overly inviting. And with the sun gone, it looked that much less appealing. The shadows and the light rain started to dampen their already dwindling spirits.

Jordan could feel the sickness from the forest, it drained her magic, and intensified the curse living inside her. When she tried to relax her senses and not worry about it, but the evil markings started to show on her skin. Her breaths became heavy with fear that the others would see them. The ones on her arms were the most visible, as if warning and reminding her of the task ahead. Clenching her fists together and focusing her breathing, she was able to force them back to hide beneath her skin. She pretended to be cold and trying to take cover from the rain by pulling her blue-purple cloak out from her bag and put it on. It would hide her skin, and keep her dry.

Bilbo was the closest to her and he appeared to also be deep in thought. His hands were stuffed in his pockets like he was holding onto a secret something. It did not take very long for his eyes to shoot up in her direction, like he felt her watching him. They stared at each other, worried that they have been discovered. Jordan was the first to look and move away, not wanting to ask nor be questioned.

The rest of the company took the opportunity to stretch their legs, arms, and backs. It did not take long for them to remove their belongings from the ponies. Nori was just starting to unpack Gandalf's horse when the wizard came rushing out of the forest gate.

"I need my horse, leave it be!" Gandalf called desperately.

"Are you leaving?" Bilbo asked.

"I do not wish too, but I must." Gandalf explained. The look on his face was clear and uncomforting. It would be unwise to question his motives. They absolutely wanted too, but they knew better. Gandalf made eye contact with Bilbo, who looked most strained and troubled. "You're different now, Bilbo Baggins. You've changed much since you left the Shire." His smile was focused on the hobbit.

Bilbo continued to be uneasy, and his fingers moved restlessly in his vest pockets. "I want to tell you, I found something in the Goblin tunnels."

Gandalf leaned close and whispered, "oh?"

The hobbit took a deep breath like he was thinking over what he should say. Finally, he pulled his hands out of his pockets, "I found my courage."

"That's wonderful, Bilbo. Don't lose it." Gandalf's smile grew a little suspicious. He had an idea that Bilbo was not telling him the whole truth. He knew that the hobbit would confide in him when he was ready. Turning to the rest of them, speaking to all through the now heavier falling rain. "I will meet you on the slopes of Erébor at the overlook. Don't go inside without me and keep the map and key safe." Thorin did not like hearing that, but he nodded his agreement. "The Greenwood Road has changed. You can feel that it's not right, full of illusion and will lead you astray. Do not leave the path for any reason, because if you do, you won't find it again." With those nerve-racking parting words, Gandalf road back the way they came.

Thorin turned and headed for the Elven Gate. "Let's go. Durin's Day is not far and we need to be at the mountain before the sun sets for our one chance to find the door."

The company traveled on foot, following the brick path. Even though it was still day time, it looked close to dusk. The trees were so dense, it was impossible to see the sky through the branches. Gandalf was right, the air was thick, musky, and felt strange. The only saving grace about the forest was that it kept the rain from falling on them. Some of the sounds they heard were as strange as the air. The dwarves, witches, and Bilbo stuck close to each other. Despite Bifur's best effort to keep the princes away, the witches sought out their company. He gave up, knowing that he was not going to completely cut them off. Besides, it's not like they could go anywhere inside this depressing forest.

Karah and Kili walked side by side, unless Karah needed assistance. It was adorable to watch. They maintained quiet conversation, getting to know each other more and more; asking questions about their childhoods. The more they discussed, the more learned, and the attraction grew. The feeling of butterflies in stomachs and goosebumps when they touched could not be more true. It was the only way to maintain some positivity while the forest was trying to take it away.

Fili stayed close to Jordan. At one point, he offered her his hand and she accepted, and they did not let go until they saw Bifur's scowl. The sense of completeness was the most accurate description. He smiled at her, and she tried not to show hers, but that was a failure. His pride was swelling in his chest, knowing that he was having an effect on her. Now was not the time to tell her that she was his One. When they reclaimed the mountain, he would tell her everything, and hopefully she would return his feelings. After that, it was just getting past Bifur, Bombur, Bofur, Dwalin, and then her biological family. How hard could that be?

Jordan's smile was not only because of Fili. She was relieved that her concentration was paying off, despite Fili's distraction. She only let her skin show when she had the curse under control. And since no one was pointing at her face or horrified at her appearance, she assumed that it was working. If only Fili was not so attractive and likeable, she would not be as worried about faltering.

The further they traveled in the forest, the foggier their minds became. They decided it was due to walking all afternoon. It appeared that the sun was close to setting and Thorin called for them to make camp. They all tried to keep up their positive attitude. Bilbo had shared some of his tobacco with Thorin, who graciously accepted. Bombur started preparing the food, with Jordan, Karah, and Dori's help. While Gloin and Bofur made a fire. The rest of them tried to make the area a little more comfortable. Soon, before the sun had gone down, they all sat around the fire enjoying a small hot meal.

Fili was sitting by himself, close to the fire to enjoy the warmth, but enough to have space to sharpen his many blades in solitude. He looked up and watched his brother. Kili had been flirting with Karah all day, really working it with her and seemed to be successful. His little brother was growing up. It was a hard realization that Kili won't need him as much anymore. Ever since their father entered the halls of Aulë, his family looked to him. And as heir to the throne, he was taught to lead and serve his people. Many times, he wished he did not have the responsibility, both for the kingdom and his family. He wanted his own life, make his own choices without repercussions for and from others, only worry about just himself. And as much as he wished to escape his fate, he doubted his courage to branch out in such a way. Too many people depended on him. Kili also made it very clear that he did not wish to be king. That he would need complete proof that he and Thorin were as cold as the stone they were crafted from, to take the throne. Fili felt torn between many directions, wishing that his father was here to help him. Since he was not a royal by blood, he could council Fili in ways that no one else could. It hurt and worried him to think about all of these things.

Jordan walked up and handed him a bowl and sat down next to him. _What's wrong?_

"Just thinking." He replied and ate his dinner.

They sat without talking as they ate. It was comfortable, just being near, not having to fill the time with conversation. It did not take very long for Jordan to figure out that Fili was keeping an eye on Kili and Karah. He looked a little worried, sad, and defeated. She knew how that felt.

Finally, she decided to sign her thoughts. _Kili reminds me of my brother, Blair. I think they'd get along really well._ _He used to get me in trouble all of the time._ Jordan stated as she looked onto the younger dwarf and her cousin. _Siblings are precious little terrorists. Especially the youngest ones. Being the oldest you're the tester kid for all the rules. But then when the youngest comes along and those same rules don't apply to them. The only consolation is that you get to do everything first and they have to wait and watch. It's a small satisfaction._

"That's true." Fili cracked a smile and chuckled at her humor. "He's so reckless sometimes. I promised my father when Kili was born that I would always look out for him. When we left the Blue Mountains, I promised my mother that I would bring us both back to her."

She smiled at him, able to relate completely. _Your father would be proud of you. He knows you are doing everything you can to be a good brother and keep your promise. But, you can't protect him from everything. He will never learn to stand on his own two feet if you don't let him fail sometimes._

Fili pondered her words. "He's changed a lot, for the better. He used to be very childish. Okay we both were. Fine, are! But coming on this adventure has forced us to be much more mature."

 _Not that much._ Jordan grinned. _And I'm glad._

"Kili remembers my father a little. Or maybe he remembers the stories that were told about him. As time goes on, I fear that I'm forgetting too. Sometimes I forget what he looks like, until I look in the mirror."

 _You look like your dad?_ Jordan asked.

"Spitting image, my mother says." Fili surveyed the area around him. "This place is unsettling."

 _Will you play your fiddle?_ _I still haven't heard you._

Fili finished eating quickly in order to fulfill her request. When he pulled the fiddle out of his bag, his uncle stopped him.

"As much as I enjoy your music," Thorin explained. "I would rather you not play, so you don't make our presence known to the whole forest, especially our enemies." Fili understood and put it away with the promise to play when they were safely inside Erébor. Instead his picked up another knife and started to sharpen. He smiled when Jordan picked up the cloth and polish, and started working on the handles he already finished.

Karah had been sitting next to Kili, enjoying his closeness. They were still quietly chatting about the wizard world, Ered Luin, their childhoods, etc. Her feelings were developing more heartfelt for him the more they talked. She felt eyes on them and looked up; catching glances from Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Dwalin, and Thorin. His gaze she locked on.

For some reason, Karah felt compelled to talk to Thorin. She had a strong feeling that she would learn something about him, that yet even he did not know. She made the decision and stood, promising Kili that she would be back. Noticing he still had not eaten, she picked up a bowl, filled and approached him. Thorin was sitting near Bilbo when Karah handed him the bowl. She purposely gave it to him in a way that their skin would touch, and a vision came through like a movie.

 **Thorin was standing on a lookout in the Lonely Mountain. He was smiling, blushing even, as a woman grinned next to him. The joy on both of their faces was contagious. A small ginger girl came running up to them, pulling a little boy behind her. The boy ran to his mother, and the girl to Thorin's arms.**

Karah immediately recognized them as humans and as able to identify them. A wave of shock washed over her as her eyes widened on the dwarf. Taking a seat, forcing him to move over. "May I ask you something, Thorin?" Not really waiting for permission, she continued. "Have you ever met anyone in my family, besides Jordan and I?"

Thorin shook his head and sniffed the blissful aroma of his dinner. "I can't say that I have. Although meeting you and your cousin will be sufficient for my life time."

"Hm," Karah's response had a double meaning. "Are you sure?"

Thorin chewed a bite before answering. "Do you wish to tell me something?" He recognized Karah's behavior from the last time she had a vision about him. He hated to admit it out loud to her, at least right now, that she had a valuable and powerful gift. Despite all that, he approved of her because she truly brought out the best in Kili and made him happy. She would be a wonderful wife to his nephew, and a marvelous asset to his kingdom. Fili was certain of his feelings toward Jordan. And Thorin could not help but like her as he did any dwarf of his kingdom. It was odd that he was so comfortable with these humans.  
"Are you married?" Karah asked bluntly.

He nearly choked when he tried to swallow. "You are too bold."

"It's a family thing."

He rolled his eyes. "I would agree."

"Are you married?" she repeated.

"No, I'm not." Thorin now wished she would go away. "I have not met my One, nor probably will I ever."

"Is that like a soul-mate?"

"I suppose."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that last part." Karah rose to her feet.

"What do you mean? Did you have another vision, witch?"

"You'd best start changing your tone toward me," Karah warned playfully. "Because I can put in a good word for you."

"Fine. Lady Good Witch Karah, what did you see?" Thorin was exasperated by the game.

Karah glared at him for his attitude "I don't think you are ready to hear it. But I promise to tell you when you are."

Thorin did not like the sound of that. Lady Witch Karah, knew something that no one, not even he, knew about. His mind replayed their conversation, recollecting the key points. Karah asked if he had met anyone else in her family; he wondered if she had a vision about him with someone in her family. Not knowing how he truly felt about that, he had to put it out of his mind and focus back on the quest.

He assigned the night's watch, then deciding that having three sets of eyes would be better while they were still in Mirkwood. Fili and Kili first watch with him. Bifur, Jordan, and Nori second. Gloin and Bofur and Bilbo third. Bombur, Karah, and Dwalin last to prepare the food and wake the others. Now that he trusted Bilbo, Thorin did not have a problem asking the hobbit to help with this task. And he decided that the witches would start helping with watch, making sure to split up the lovebirds for certain tasks.

The night went on with a decent fire, but it drew other habitants of the forest to them. Many sets of eyes watched in the shadows. Large moths came fluttering to the flame nearly waking everyone who was asleep. Thorin was one of them, and decided it would be better for their eyes to adjust to the dark, and then creatures would not try to seek them out as willfully.

Morning came all too soon. The musky air was beginning to set in their lungs and minds. Jordan watched Bilbo play with some sticky white threads, that weaved together like webs. In fact, they were webs. It took a minute for her to put the pieces together. Those were no ordinary spider webs; they were too big.

 **Spiders, big freaking spiders made those.** Jordan wondered as she swayed on her feet. She felt like she was not in her body. Seeing the hobbit sit down and giggle while he played with the bouncy webbing, something did not feel right. **Huge spiders…**

In the background, the dwarves bickering, then becoming more physical. Bilbo shot to his feet and confronted them. Suddenly he looked up to the tree blocked sky. Quick as a bunny he disappeared in the branches.

Thorin had enough of the fighting. "Enough! Quiet!" He shouted then whispered. "Something is watching us."

 **Acromantula.** Jordan's eyes grew wide when she figured it out. Frantically, she got Karah's attention, as well as Bifur, Dwalin, Thoirn, Kili, and Fili. _Acromantula!_


	14. Chapter 14

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

Previously…

 **Acromantula.** Jordan's eyes grew wide when she figured it out. Frantically, she got Karah's attention, as well as Bifur, Dwalin, Thoirn, Kili, and Fili. _Acromantula!_

Present…

Karah immediately pulled out her wand when her panic took over. That was enough for Thorin and the rest of the company. No one noticed Bilbo had disappeared. Some of the dwarves were shoving and arguing with each other, making a lot of noise in their impaired state.

"That did she say?" Thorin asked, eyes searching for the unknown threat. "Shut it, all of you!"

"Spiders," Karah answered than called to Jordan. "Do you know any spells?"

 _One, but I don't know how effective it will be against a whole colony._ Jordan replied and readied herself.

Once they learned what they were up against, the dwarves rolled their eyes and groaned.

"Spiders aren't anything to worry about, lassies." Nori sighed.

"Yeah, we'll just squish them." Oin reassured them.

"Besides, they wouldn't eat us," Gloin added onto his brother's statement. "They eat bugs and small critters."

Jordan was disturbed at their lack of concern and did not put her wand away. To acromantula, they were small critters. She did not stop scanning their surroundings. Karah asked her again what spell to use, so Jordan finger spelled the words. She could not shake the feeling like the giant arachnids were very close and calculating the company's movements, waiting to strike.

"I feel like we are being watched," Ori stated timidly, feeling the same way as Jordan and heeding the warning. "Something's not right."

"We are fi-," Dori began but was cut off when a giant spider jumped down from the trees.

"Arania Exumai!" Karah shouted and pointed her wand at the large spider. An electric blue blast shot out of the end and the spider went flying yards backwards. It slammed against a tree and the blunt force killed it. "See! We tried to tell you! These aren't normal spiders!"

Another spider came and Jordan used the same spell. Then another, and another, and another. Flashes of electric blue lite up the forest, easily giving away their location. Soon, the witches and dwarves were overtaken by giant spiders, snapping their pinchers, shooting webbing out to slow down their movements or capture them. One by one, the spiders stuck them with their venom, quickly immobilizing the company and making them fall asleep. Once their victims were still, the spiders completely cocooned them from head to toe in the sticky binding webbing; then pulled them up in the trees to dangle while they waited for them to die.

The company had no way of knowing that their commotion had drawn other inhabitants of the forest. A scout for the elf guard spotted the flashing lights and heard the screeching of spiders and reported it to his superiors. It was enough for a large party of elves to be sent out running through the forest, ready to rid the world of the horrendous creatures that were trying to take over their home.

A female elf, with dark orange red hair that fell well past her belt swayed behind her as she led the way. She wore a green long sleeved shirt and leggings, with a leather bodice, boots, and cuffs, and a calf length over-dress that opened in the front for best mobility. She carried two long daggers strapped to her thighs, a quiver full of arrows, and her bow in her hand. Her grace, stealth, and strength could not help but be admired, and the prince did just that. Her name was Tauriel, and she was the Captain of the Royal Guard of King Thranduil. Her fighting and leadership skills were legendary, hence why she was favored by the elf king, and his son, despite her young age.

Prince Legolas easily kept up with Tauriel, having trained together since she came to live in Mirkwood. It was because of him, that Tauriel was the Captain. His father would never have given it to just anyone, especially an elf so young. But when he tested her, Thranduil could not help but be impressed and had complete faith in her. Legolas tried to convince himself that he did not help her because of personal reasons. Eventually he decided that it could only help his cause in convincing his father, to pursuing her hand in marriage, if Tauriel's status was elevated.

"This way!" Tauriel shouted in their native tongue. The closer they became, the louder the raucous. They could hear yelling, fighting, some kind of explosions with light flashing. "Spread out and surround them!" Tauriel commanded. "Half of you come with me, the other half with Legolas."

The elves had cleared the forest once before of the giant spiders, but more arrived and had caught some prey. They hoped that they had not claimed the lives of any wondering elves. What the spiders did catch was quite surprising. A group of thirteen dwarves and two humans. The company was covered in web and fighting with their reclaimed weapons, successfully killing the creatures. But what truly took them back were the two humans. All they had were small sticks that contained magic! In no time at all the elves, dwarves, and humans had successfully destroyed the spiders, but now ready to fight each other.

Legolas had his arrow pointed at the dwarf whom appeared to be the leader, ready to kill. "Move a muscle and I will gladly put this between your eyes, dwarf."

Jordan and Karah were cornered by a couple elves pointing loaded bows at them. The elves had figured out the wands were their way of defense, but unsure on how they were worked. Jordan transfigured one arrow into a carnation, and Karah accidently set the second one on fire. The elves jumped back and dropped their weapons and swiftly drew their swords.

"Karah!" Kili shouted and started running toward them with his own sword. Suddenly, a stray giant spider jumped on his back and he lost the sword. The pinchers got a hold of his leg and started to pull him into the shadows of the forest.

"Kili!" Fili and Karah shouted at the same time. He and the witches fought their way to aid him, but only Karah made it through.

"Arania Exumai!" Karah blasted the spider away.

Another came crawling out of nowhere. Before she had a chance, an arrow found it's mark in the middle of the many sets of eyes. The tall, beautiful ginger she-elf jumped from the tree branches slicing webbing and spiders as she descended. Karah helped Kili to his feet and he accidently knocked her wand out of her hand. They each frantically searched for their weapons on the leaf covered groud.

"I need a dagger, throw me one of yours!" Kili begged the elf as he noticed a spider come for them.

The she-elf had stabbed another spider. "You are out of your mind if you think I'm giving you a weapon!"

Kili and Karah were becoming more frantic because they still had not found their weapons and wand. Karah was on her hands and knees crawling, and finally found it at the she-elf's feet. Just before she stood up, the she-elf threw her dagger. It sailed over Karah, past Kili, and into the brain of the oncoming spider. Kili was stunned by the accuracy and near miss of his head. Karah had her wand pointed at the elf, who was just as tall as Arwen, Elladan, and Elrohir. The she-elf had her second dagger pointed down at Karah.

"Drop your weapon." The ginger she-elf commanded.

"You first," Karah growled. If only she had the backup like the elf did. The other elves in her command had surrounded her and Kili and she had no choice but to surrender. As soon as it the ground, the elves took it and Kili's sword. Kili grabbed Karah's hand to keep her close as they were marched to join the rest of the company.

"Search them!" The long blonde haired elf commanded, then spoke in his native language to the ginger she-elf.

Each dwarf and witch was stripped of their: weapons, bags, extra gear, cloaks, and coats. Fili took the longest, having more knives and daggers stashed all over his person. Gloin managed to get into an argument with the blonde giving orders over some photographs. Despite the circumstances, Jordan and Karah could not help but chuckle.

Jordan kept pushing the hands away or stepping out of reach of elf trying to search her. She was not mean or malicious about it, just irritating; afraid that the markings would be seen and the severity curse would be discovered. And then there would be questions. Karah nagged her to let it be while she was also being searched. That only made Jordan more anxious, which made the elves more curious as to what she was hiding. Eventually, the ginger she-elf came and took over the search, thinking it was over offended modesty. It did not take very long for Jordan to lose her cloak, bag, and wand. She focused all her magic, what was left of it, to keep the marks hidden. It took her and Fili's elves the longest to finish the search.

"Where did you get this sword?" the blonde elf asked Thorin, his voice in a calm fury, holding up Thorin's sword. All available attention went to their conversation.

"In a troll hoard, and Lord Elrond allowed me to keep it with his blessing." Thorin replied in kind. "Who are you?"

"That's quite an elaborate lie for a thief." The blonde stated and pointed the sharp end at Throin. They glared at each other for a moment. "I'm Legolas, son of King you shall answer to him. **Enwendo hyne!** "

The last command was in his own language. It must have been something along the line of, 'take them away!' because the elves were now escorting them through the forest. Bifur and Dwalin made sure they were in front and behind Jordan and Karah. Fili and Kili were in between them, holding their hands. Everyone noticed they were one person short but kept that a secret. Bilbo had been missing since he cut them loose from the spiders. They all hopped that he was okay, and had escaped capture.

It felt like hours of walking in exhaustion, they were entering the gates of the castle. It was a giant tree, living, breathing, and the elves apparently lived inside of it. There were elf guards stationed at the doors and every few yards. The scouting party lead them deep inside, down many passage ways to the dungeon. The dwarves and witches were separated and roughly shoved into cells. Except for Thorin. He had been taken in a different direction, possibly to plead their case to the king. Some of them had to share: Jordan and Karah, Gloin and Oin, Ori and Dori, Nori and Bifur.

Despite being used to small spaces inside mountains, being locked up did not sit well with some of them. Dwalin was the loudest, banging, kicking, ramming the door to break it down. He was not the only one making such a fuss. Just before he was pushed into his cell, Fili's last dagger was discovered. He scowled and grabbed onto the bars as soon as the door was shut in his face. Oin and Gloin worked together to unsuccessfully break the door down.

Karah sat on one of the beds, momentarily defeated. She rubbed her temples, trying to soother her growing headache. Jordan rattled the door, testing for any weakness. "Will you stop that!"

Balin's irritation was evident with the noise. He yelled from his cell, "Knock it off! You'll not break your way out of here. This is no orc dungeon; these are the halls of the woodland realm. No one leaves here but by the king' s consent."

Jordan stared through the bars, resting her head on the cool metal. Her line of sight was pretty limited. She could see some of the cells and dwarves pacing, or slumped in defeat and exhaustion. In her mind, all she could think about was how to get all of all of them out of Mirkwood, get inside the mountain, and save Blair.

Bifur was just across from them, banging on his door to get her attention. _Are you both alright? Did they hurt you?_

 _We're fine, just a little cold._ Jordan answered and pretended to shiver. She was still worried about the curse coming forth. _It's a drafty down here. They took our cloaks._

 _They took everything._ Bifur furiously grunted. _They even considered taking the axe out of my head._

 _That would have been a sight!_ Jordan smiled. She wondered where Fili, Kili, and Ori were being kept. She was so tired, all she wanted to do was lay down and sleep.

Just as she let herself fall on her bed, when they heard more footsteps heading toward them. Everyone emerged to look and see who was coming. To their great relief, it was Thorin. The loud racket of the door locking diminished their hope of leaving.

"Were you offered a deal?" Balin asked with some optimism.

"Aye, and I told him and his kin could 'ishkh khakfe andu null'!" Thorin finished in Khuzdul.

"Well, that's outstanding. A deal was our only hope." Balin's words sank and fell like boulders in water. Karah sat down on the floor, Jordan stood next to her.

Thorin was holding onto the bars of this door. "Not our only hope."

Jordan pondered Thorin's words. He knew something that the rest of them did not. She put her hands through the bars to ask him what they meant, but he was not looking at her. Tapping on Karah's shoulder, she asked her if she knew what he said.

"How would I know what that means?" Karah replied impatiently, miss interpreting what she wanted to know. Jordan was confused for a moment, but decided to go with it and lighten the mood for now.

Karah was loud enough for some of the dwarves listen in. Fili and Kili were next to each other, above the witches, and across the way. Hearing them bicker was enough assurance that they were alright. The brothers were also thankful that they could at least see them too.

"Alright, I'll ask! But I'm sure that's not it!" Karah gave in. "Jordan wants to know what you said, Thorin."

"What does she think it means?" Kili asked mischievously, adding to the humor. He heard Fili try to stifle a laugh next to him.

"No, I won't say it." Karah tried to hold her ground. "OW! Stop it! OW! Fine! She thinks that Thorin told them to 'eat his sh-, feces.' And that's disgusting. Do you hug your mother with those hands?"

That was the wrong thing to say and all humor vanished. The company waited to hear more of the conversation and those who had sights on their cell watched. Jordan glared down at Karah and retreated to the back of the cell. All they heard was Karah stutter an apology, and it was ignored. Fili's heart went out to Jordan, wishing he could be down there with her. Kili felt guilty on Karah's behalf, and sad for Jordan. It was only a slip of the tongue, normally a funny question. It was a little while before anyone had the courage to say anything.

Fili could not help it, he waved down at Karah, "Psss, Karah! Can you bring her to the door?"

Karah dreading trying to talk to her cousin now. She got up from the floor and disappeared. A moment later, she came back. "She's asleep. I don't think she's faking it either. I'm ready to pass out myself." She was glad to see that he and Kili were so close.

"When she wakes up, I want to talk to her." Fili insisted and thanked her before he found his own bed.

She nodded. She looked up to Kili, who was still standing at the door. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Now Kili was angry at himself that he could not keep her safe from this imprisonment. He knew it was out of his hands, since all of them had been captured. He should be glad that they were able to fight together against the spiders and survived. "I miss you already." Kili admitted so he could hear. If the other dwarves heard, they were too tired to comment.

"I miss you too." Karah half smiled. "Try to get some sleep."

"I will if you will." Kili played, trying to make her feel better.

Karah allowed him to help her. "Sleep tight, don't let the nargles bite."

Kili had no idea what a nargle was. "You too." When she was gone from the door, he whispered, "I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

Skillet. "Hero." Awake. 2009

* * *

 _Jordan was back in her world, standing in the living room of her house. At least she thought it was the living room. If her parents saw it, both she and Blair would be digging their own graves then cleaning up this mess. The some of the furniture was upturned, books were thrown all over with pages missing, trash and dirty dishes littered flat surfaces. Even the piano was effected; the lamp was knocked over, cups were sitting on the top leaving behind rings on the wood, and the bench had been kicked aside and broken._

 _She walked over to it and hit a couple keys for a cord. It was still tuned and the sound of the familiar music made her heart ache. Not being able to stop herself, her muscle memory took over for one of her favorite songs on the piano. "Hero" was one of Skillet's biggest hits. When she heard it, she started practicing it on all of her instruments. It had been so long since she played the piano. It was fitting because her brother needed a hero, and quite frankly she needed one too._

 _Just finishing the first chorus, a slow clap behind her ended the song. Septimus was leaning on the door frame, waiting for her to finish. She saw him rake his eye from her feet to her head. He did not bother trying to hide his assessment of her and it made her feel dirty and afraid. They both were trying to read the other, searching for secrets and plans they harbored within._

" _He's ready to see you." He pushed off the door and walked to the back of the house._

 _Jordan followed him outside to the yard. Her dad had built the patio and fire pit himself. He had taken a great deal of time and effort to make the backyard be a great summer hangout. Now, it looked like some kind of breeding ground. These hideous creatures, like goblins and orcs, were in all different sizes in a cage. When they saw Jordan and Septimus, they gnashed their teeth and rattled the bars of the cage. In another cage at the other end of the yard, much more quiet and relaxed, were one of the darkest creatures of the wizard world: Inferi. There were at least twenty puppet corpses of once live human beings. They were in various heights and sizes, from the different ages of the victims. Some of them looked to be quite fresh and they only way you could tell the difference between them and a live human were the cloudy lifeless eyes._

" _Well, look has finally graced us with her presence." Milhauke's voice was uncharacteristically sweet then turned nasty. He was standing near the lit fire pit, like he was assessing over his work. "Where is the book!?" He screamed._

 _Jordan expected him to have a tantrum and was prepared for whatever he had to throw at her. The creatures had unsettled her and had a hard time with the fact he was able to make them even though he was not a trained wizard from her world. That was extremely troubling that he now was learning so much about her world._ _ **I don't have it yet. We are stuck in Mirkwood.**_

 _Milhauke swooped over to her and slapped her across the face. How she managed to stay on her feet, she had no idea. "Your time has run out, Jordan. Lord Voldemort is dead; I need that book now!"_

 _It took all of her self-control to not touch and soothe her face. She had to conceal her relief that You-Know-Who was dead. She wanted to ask how it happened but now was not the time. She would not even be able to tell Karah or the rest of her family the joyful news. They could go home!._ _ **I will bring it to you. I just need more time!**_

" _You had time and now you will suffer the consequences. Bring him!" Milhauke ordered to Septimus. The apprentice left and returned a minute later with Blair at wand point, walking in front with his hands on his head. "I warned you what would happen if you did not deliver. Put him in the Inferi cage. Now you can watch them rip him to pieces and eat the remains."_

 _Jordan whipped her wand out and froze Septimus with the Petrificus Totalus spell. He dropped his wand and his arms and legs snapped to his sides and he fell backwards. Blair had picked up the discarded wand and stood back to back with his sister. Jordan turned to Milhauke, ready to do anything she had to in order to protect her brother._

 _As soon as Milhauke made eye contact, Jordan was lost. It was like she was watching a muggle movie or a play. She was now back in Béorn's house, watching Fili run around with her wand, and SHE was chasing him. Then it changed to her crying in Fili's arms in Rivendell. It changed once more and she was standing on the cliffs where Azog chased them before the eagles showed up. She could not help but be ashamed at the loss of empathy in her face when she attacked everything in sight. Now she understood everyone's hesitation around her after that event. The last change was Jordan's greatest fear, her family and friends were all lined up and she was watching their execution. Her grandparents where the first to be flashed with the green light, then her aunt and uncle, Nicole, even the kids Rene, and Gage, Thorin, Karah, Kili, Bifur Dwali, Bilbo, Ori, Nori, Gloin, Bofur, Oin, Balin, Bombur, Dori, Elrond, Arwen, Elladan, Elrohir, and lastly Fili._

 _She fell to her knees and wept, waiting for Milhauke to do the same to her. Septimus came up behind her, laughing and taunting her, and holding her still. Then Milhauke stood in front of her, an evil smile on his lips, sadistic joy radiating from his eyes. Instead of his wand, he rested a sword on her shoulders, ready to remove her head._

" _Like my new trick?" The real Milhauke brought her out of her nightmare. She was laying on stomach, breathing heavily, and her wand a few feet out of reach. Septimus was free of his spell and keeping Blair away with the recovered wand. "You should have realized that there was no way you and your brother could escape this way. I know you were already aware that I can get inside your mind. I can see all of your thoughts, dreams, memories. The Dark Lord, Voldemort, showed me how to destroy you from the inside out. It seems this dwarf, Fili, has taken up almost as much of your mind as your family. Tell me, is he your lover?" Milhauke's voice was sweet with poison. "I will give you one more chance, Jordan. I think you understand now what will happen, should you fail me again."_

 _ **I hate you!**_ _Jordan's fury and hate over took her. Not even realizing what she was doing, she raised her hands and shot fire out at Milhauke. It was the same as the time she accidently shot at Fili. The cage of Inferi came alive, screeching and struggled to get away from the light and heat. The same feeling from the cliff that she wanted to forget came out again. Milhauke and Septimus took a step back, and Blair could not hide his horror and fear. No one present had ever witnessed her like this before._ _ **If you touch my brother, Fili, or anyone else in my family or friends, harm them in any way, I will kill you. I will do the same thing you intended for my brother. Then burn anything left of you, the inferi, to ash ash, and burn the ashes for good measure.**_

 _Astonishment and excitement over took Milhauke. "Oooo, so the young musician has a dark side. Talented in more than just music, you can do wandless magic."_

 _ **It's your fault. You made me this way! If it's a book you want, I suggest that you make sure you keep my brother happy. I would hate to bring it all the way here, to have to burn you at the stake and the book at your feet.**_

" _You certainly have a fire raging inside you, Jordan." Milhauke could see the sincere threat in her eyes. He would have to recalculate his approach with her. "I promise that your brother will be in the same state you see him now when you return."_

 _ **Not good enough!**_ _She shot the fire at his feet again. He jumped back to avoid the blaze._ _ **You'd better feed and clothe him, and heal his injuries.**_

 _They were all at a stand-off and waiting to see what would happen. Milhauke looked to Septimus, and he nodded with a grin. He stunned Blair then used the torture curse on Jordan. He liked watching her twitch and seeing the pain on her face. He let up when Milhauke told him too._

 _Milhauke walked next to her and sneered down. "Your brother for the book."_

 _Jordan glared at him again as she swung her arm out and fire spat out from her palm. He must have been expecting something because he managed to step back, but his robes got singed. With is lack of concentration, Jordan felt herself disappear from the dream and start to wake up._

The roar of a fire and the heat of the flames exploded out from the door of the witches' cell. No one knew what was going on. The dwarves started calling for them, fear the worst that they had been hurt or killed from a the surprise explosion. Fili, Kili, Bifur, Dwalin, Ori, and Thorin could be heard the loudest. The commotion alerted the guards and they came running from all directions.

Karah had woken from the first blast and saw Jordan on the ground twitching and in pain like she was being tortured. She tried to shake her awake but her cousin must have been stuck inside her dream and would not open her eyes. Karah called her name many times and still nothing. After a moment, Jordan stopped hemorrhaging and raised her hands. Karah jumped back on her bed out of the way just in time for fire to shoot out of Jordan's hands in her sleeping state. Whatever she was dreaming about, she was angry and uncontrollable.

"On your feet!" One elf shouted to them as he unlocked the door.

Karah was frozen in shock by Jordan and did not notice the elf until he roughly pulled her out of the cell, both arms secured behind her back. Wandless magic was only possible by an extremely powerful witch or wizard. She wondered if Jordan knew what she could do, and if she had ever done anything besides set fires. Another elf yanked Jordan from the floor by her collar. The elf was yelling at her, demanding an explanation. When she raised her hands, he thought she was fighting him. A third elf had pulled her hands behind her back and slapped cuffs on her before she was fully awake.

At first, Jordan thought she was still in her dream when she woke up. She raised her hands to shoot fire at her attacker. As soon as she realized it was an elf, she held her magic back. She did not like using wandless magic because she did not have complete control over it yet. Almost hurting Fili had scared her enough to avoid using that raw power. Only Milhauke and Septimus brought out that kind of raging inferno she could not stop, and she decided to save that special magic just for them. Now she was completely awake and tried to explain, she was not able to.

"Cease struggling!" the elf first elf on the scene commanded Jordan. He appeared to be the one in charge at the moment. "What happened? What did you do? Speak human!"

"She can't!" Karah shouted at him, "she's speaks with her hands."

"Then you tell us what happened," the elf looked down at her.

"Let them go!" Fili growled from his cell.

"Take on someone your own size!" Kili added.

Bifur was banging on his door and signing at all of them. Thorin and Dwalin were yelling different things. With all the noise from different directions, no one could really hear anything. Jordan now had an aggressive headache from Milhauke's invasion and Septimus' torture, plus from falling out of her bed. More guards came to help and get the dungeon under control. The ginger she-elf arrived with a stern look on her face. She spoke in their language and the elf who was in charge explained.

Karah had no idea what they were saying, so she spoke up to try to plead their case. "Please listen! My cousin and I are witches." That did not go over as well as she had hopped. All the elves stepped back and pulled out all their weapons ready to cut them down. "No, you don't understand. We are good. We won't harm you. My cousin has night terrors, and sometimes her magic is uncontrollable."

Jordan was surprised at what Karah said. **Had she done magic in her sleep before?** While she let Karah talk, Jordan felt her knees give in and she sat on the floor. It took a few moments for her to get her nerves under control, she tucked her knees to her chest and slid her arms underneath her and her hands rested on her lap. The elves did not like that and pressed a little closer with their weapons still in hand. Jordan saw the worry and tried to keep her hands completely visible and nonthreatening as possible.

The elf who cuffed her was still standing behind her. He grabbed the back of her collar and held a long knife at her neck. "Don't move!"

"Wait, please stop!" Karah begged the she-elf. "Jordan can't talk with her voice. She can sign to you what happened."

"It's too risky, Tauriel." The first elf and second in command fretted. "Don't take the cuffs off. If she can do magic with just her hands-."

"Thank you, Lomen." Tauriel cut him off. She signaled to the elf holding Jordan to drop the knife. "Do not harm us, and we will harm you." To prove her words, she put away her own daggers. Looking directly down at Jordan, "What happened?"

Jordan scooted away from the elf. _I had a nightmare and fell out of my bed._ The elves had a hard time understanding her, so Karah translated.

"And tried to set your cell on fire!" Lomen scoffed.

 _It wasn't on purpose, you over grown leprechaun!_ Jordan spat out.

Karah was so frightened and worried that she was not paying enough attention when she finished Jordan's statement. She quickly apologized and wished she could smack her cousin on the back of her head for that comment. Obviously no one else in the company agreed with her. Fili and Kili cheered, Bifur and Dwalin laughed, and the rest of the dwarves clapped, even Thorin laughed. "Knock it off, Jordan! You're making it worse with your insults."

 _I'm not insulting, I'm describing._

"What is she saying?" Tauriel was losing patience.

Karah looked up at her, "she said that it wasn't intentional. I told you, she has night terrors and sometimes her magic comes out. Most witches and wizards from our world can't do magic without our wands."

Tauriel studied them for a minute. "Your world? Are you not from Middle Earth?"

Both witches shook their heads and Karah answered. "Our family is the Gatekeeper between worlds."

All the elves exchanged looks and waited for further commands. They had all heard of the Gatekeepers. In fact, many decades ago, an elf soldier married the Gatekeeper and became mortal for her. It was a rare thing, but their love was so strong that the elf wanted to be with her forever, even in death.

"Come, the king will want to know this." Tauriel motioned for the guard to help Jordan to her feet, and for Lomen to adjust Karah's cuff's like Jordan. Then she turned her heals and lead the way back up to the main floor.

Lomen did as he was commanded, but he did not like the idea one bit. He did not trust either of them and if it were up to him, they would have been dead as soon as they uttered the word 'witch.' As they walked, he made sure that the prisoners were behind the 'captain' and he remained behind them. He did not agree with Tauriel in most things. In fact, he did not think she deserved to be captain. He knew that Prince Legolas insisted the position go to her because he hoped it would turn her affections to him. Lomen was angry and bitter at both of them. Being the same age as the prince and more experience, he should have been the one appointed.

When they passed Bifur, Jordan signed that they were okay. He told her to keep calm and behave so not to put themselves in needless danger. Fili and Kili both tried to reach out to them, but the witches were shoved passed them.

"Everything will be fine!" Karah tried to sound convincing and tried to use humor to make them feel better. "As long as Jordan just shuts up and doesn't say anything."

The look on Jordan's face gave off enough of a smart remark but she signed anyway for commentary. _Oh, my bad! I forgot I'm the loudest one in our group._

"Your death will probably be caused by being sarcastic at the wrong moment." Karah yelled loud enough for the rest of the company to watch from their doors. "Just because it 'pops' into your head, does not mean it should come out of your hands!"

 _Okay, MOM!_

"Will you just act your age for once?" Karah continued, acting very motherly. "Your worse than René and Gage, and they're children!"

Jordan had the perfect comeback for this statement. One of her old bandmates shared this with her and never had the opportunity to use it. _I don't know how to act my age. I've never been this age before._

The witches continued to bicker as they ascended the stairs into the nicer parts of the castle. The dwarves were able to hear Karah for a little while, and soon her voice was gone.

"Fili," Kili called to his brother in the cell next to him. "Do you know what a leprechaun is?"

"I have a guess," Fili replied with a grin. He loved Jordan's spunk and was proud that she was able to hide her fears. She had guts, that's for sure. "Whatever it is, it must naturally be small. Jordan did call the elf an 'over grown leprechaun' after all. I'm glad she's being her usual feisty self."

"Yeah," Kili jested. "And hearing Karah boss her around is also reassuring. I'd rather she bicker with me. And when I say bicker, I mean-."

The sound of loud banging down the corridor broke up their conversation.

"That's enough, lads." Thorin yelled up to them.

Balin added from above, "Your further upsetting Bifur."

"It's not like we're not insulting them," Kili started, mimicking Jordan.

"We're describing." Fili finished the quote, grinning again to himself. Then he sat down in complete defeat. Worry now took over him. Where were the elves taking Jordan and Karah? What would happen to all of them? How were they going to get out of this dungeon?


	16. Chapter 16

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

The witches were brought to what appeared to be a large hall, or a throne room, quite possibly it was used for both. The grand hall's high ceilings and tall pillars made the humans feel incredibly small. The morning sun was shining through windows, bringing enough light that torches and candles were unnecessary, and waking the elves from their slumber.

Inside the caverns of kingdom, the palace had been built. But it was very different from the goblin cavern, Mirkwood palace felt alive! Which made sense, because it was inside a giant living tree. The walls, floors, ceilings, and passage ways were ever moving and growing! The aroma was that of a forest, only cleaner and without the intoxicating musky and damp air outside. It just felt strange, but welcoming, like the tree was delighted to have the elves, and even more to have foreign travelers in its company. That feeling had intensified when the guards had brought the witches to the grand throne room, like they were standing in the heart of the tree.

The guards surrounded the witches and were prepared for immediate and lethal action against the witches. Once the great doors behind them swung open, the elves tightened their grips on their weapons anxiously. They knew that the king was not happy to be awoken this early, so that added to their worries.

The elf king, Thranduil, contemptuously dismissed his handmaid who was helping him to finish dressing as he walked. "This had better be important to wake me at such an early hour. I would think that anything our 'guests' could be handled without my involvement."

Jordan tapped Karah on her arm to get her attention. When the king strolled in, his gracefulness and extremely handsome features captivated them. _He looks like he should be in a L'Oréal Paris commercial._

"I have no idea what that is." Karah whispered quietly when she brought her attention back to the elf in discussion.

 _It's a cosmetic company, lots of hair products._ Jordan stepped in Karah's line of vision to keep conversing.

"He does have beautiful hair." Karah agreed.

 _I know, right?_

"All the elves do."

 _Like freakin' super models._

Lomen and the other elves only heard Karah's part of the conversation. He rolled his eyes at the annoying humans as he chided them. "It's customary to bow to royalty, humans."

Jordan glanced back at him with one raised eyebrow, shaking her head. Since he had no problem being a jerk to them, Jordan did not hide her pride or her disgust at him. Looking at the elf guard straight in the eye, _I'm American. And Americans don't bow to anyone._

King Thranduil only glanced at Karah and Jordan until he sat down. Once he was comfortable, he studied them more closely. His mystical voice ensnared them once more. "Strange for humans to travel alongside dwarves. Even more strange for female humans. Are they the reason you woke me?"

"Yes, your majesty. They claim to be witches." The captain of the guard stated. She had drawn herself to her full height and straightened her posture. "When we brought them with the dwarves, they carried very peculiar weapons." She nodded to a guard, who held all of Jordan and Karah's possessions, to hand them to her before presenting the wands to the king with a bow.

Thranduil accepted them and looked over each one. "Witches? That seems to raise more questions than it answers." He leaned forward in his seat, trying to figure out which wand belonged to whom. "What brings you to Mirkwood?"

Karah and Jordan wondered why every elf they came into contact with thought it was so 'strange' for dwarves and humans to be around each other. From what the witches learned of the dwarves in the company, nearly a whole population of dwarves had spent time and lived among humans for a while.

Jordan had to nudge Karah to speak. "We are going to Lake Town. We were separated from our family and the dwarves offered to take us there. And yes, we are witches."

"Who is your family? What are your names?" Thranduil picked up Jordan's wand and began to rotate it through his fingers. He saw that his movements caused her some anxiety. He continued to play with the wand, observing their unusual and unfamiliar appearances.

"I'm Karah Paisley," Karah bowed her head and then introduced her cousin who refused to bow down and held her head high.

Thranduil could tell that there was something very different about these humans. They were not from anywhere near here. And since they openly admitted to being witches, carried wands, he wondered if they were the missing granddaughters of the Gatekeepers. He had received word from Ruben and Priscilla that they were looking for two young women, and he promised he would inform them if they came through Mirkwood. The one who did the most speaking thus far, Karah, seemed to be the more reliable to get information from. Her clothes and hair were probably at one point quiet lovely. Now she looked dirty, disheveled, tired, and worried. Jordan Drake especially bothered him, something was not right about her and she had not spoken a word. Her blonde hair was almost as light as his, having the same amount of care that her cousin's had. But one side was cut very short and she had many earrings that shined or sparkled in the light. Her clothing was the same condition only more casual. The Tree of Life tattoo could be seen on her arm, though he did not know what it was and that made him wonder if that is what cause him to be concerned about her. Not many humans in Middle Earth marked their bodies in such a manner.

Karah continued her explanation, "Our grandparents are Ruben and Priscilla Paisley, they are the Gatekeepers."

"Are you?" Thranduil lips came to a half smile, happy that he was correct in his assumption. "And how I do I know that you are, who you say you are?"

"Pardon?" Karah questioned. "You want us to prove that we are witches?"

Lomen cleared his throat from behind the witches. "One of them did set a fire in their cell, your majesty. She tried to blow the door right off."

"Was she successful?" Thranduil asked, straightening in his chair, trying to decide which one made the attempt at a prison break.

"No, your majesty." Lomen scoffed. "That's not possible."

The elf king stood from his throne and descended the stair to be closer to the witches. He still held the wands, one in each hand. "Jordan Drake, you have not said a word. Care to join in the conversation?"

Jordan nearly rolled her eyes. To be fair, she could not be completely offended by the king; since he would not know that she could not speak. However, he did have them all thrown in prison. Therefore, she felt justified in her decision to not be King Thranduil's biggest fan. He was extremely smug and so sure of himself.

Lomen chimed in again and motioned to Jordan, "I believe it was her, who tried to break out."

Now Jordan did roll her eyes. **If I wanted to break out, we would not be having this conversation,** she thought to herself. Thranduil saw it and continued to stare a hole in her head.

"We went to investigate after the first explosion and we saw the second one. Fire was blasting out of the locked cell door in an effort to burn it down. Then as we apprehended them, this one tried to fight us with more fire."

 _That's not completely true._ Jordan sheepishly defended herself though only Karah knew what she said.

Thranduil narrowed his eyes expectantly. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

 _I'm Claustrophobic. I can't stand small spaces._ Jordan lied. Thranduil was acting like her parents when she got in trouble. He suspected that he was a parent and that's why he was so good at it. The look on his face made her think that he thought she was playing him.

Karah looked to her, only her quick glance questioned the statement, then she explained again. "I apologize, your majesty, for the confusion. My cousin is a mute. She was cursed as a child and cannot talk with her voice and instead speaks with her hands."

"Then we are all blessed, I'm sure." Thranduil commented. "Will you please explain what happened?"

Karah had to motion to her cousin to not retaliate. "Jordan has night terrors due to very recent tragic events. And it's uncommon, but not unheard of for witches and wizards of our world to do wandless magic when our emotions get out of hand or uncontrollable. She had a nightmare and in it must have severely frightened her. Your guards came to investigate while she was still sleeping."

The elf king was silent as he assessed them and pondered the situation. He could easily tell if someone was lying or withholding information. Karah was telling the truth, but she did not tell him everything. Jordan was very much hiding something, and he wanted to know what it was. He decided to take a different approach. "Lady witches, I invite you as my guests to our celebration tonight for Mereth e-nGilith, The Feast of Starlight. And if you are the granddaughters of Priscilla Paisley, then putting on a performance should be no problem for you."

"What sort of performance?" Karah was almost afraid to ask. Her grandmother was a wonderful woman, and loved her family above all else. And whenever everyone was together, Priscilla always asked Jordan to play a song on the guitar or piano; while she, Karah and Nicole would sing. Sometimes Blair would pick up a guitar and play along. There was no way that Karah would ever tell her grandmother no, especially if Priscilla joined in, but she never like singing in front of strangers. "I know that I sing for my grandma, but I don't for strangers. Jordan can instrumentally entertain you."

This pricked Thranduil, Tauriel, and the other elves curiosity. "Music was not what I had in mind. Many of my people have never seen magic by wand-carriers. Your grandmother's abilities are legendary and she has only recently settled in Esgaroth with your grandfather."

 _You bet she's legendary, Fabi_ o. Jordan signed her smart remark and Karah's eyes widened.

"What did she say?" Thranduil asked with a smirk.

Karah glared at her cousin again before answering. "She agreed with you about our grandmother."

He raised an eyebrow at them. He must have figured out that Jordan was insulting him, but did not know what it was. "Initially, I wanted you to display your dueling capabilities. However, we can wait on that once it has been verified who you are. I would not wish to insult the powerful wand-carrier Priscilla if her granddaughters were harmed in my care." He turned to Lomen and Tauriel and spoke to them in elvish. "We'll just wait and see if you are who you say you are. I'm sure you will have no problem demonstrating some of your magic. And if that goes well, I would love to hear music from your world."

Jordan was fine with this idea. If it meant she got her wand back, she would gladly put on a show for the elves. Heck, she would even put together her drum kit and play the loudest and most obnoxious drum solo she knew. The later would be the most pleasurable for her, seeing that this audience would probably faint. She did not peg the Elves of Mirkwood to be Heavy Metal listeners. This would be entertaining for everyone

Karah did not feel the same way. "Jordan no longer has her guitar, and I can't really sing along to just drums. I don't think we will be very musically entertaining."

"Nonsense," Thranduil waved away her attempt to get out of singing. "I'm sure that we can provide her with adequate instruments, and I wager your voice is quite lovely. The guards will escort you to our guest chambers. You can bathe and change your clothes for the feast later this evening. I'll even have your current clothes washed and repaired."

With that, the guards lead them out of the throne room. Their first stop looked to be a music room. There was an array of instruments, many of them Jordan had never seen before and must have been native to Middle Earth. It took some time, but her eyes widened in pure joy when she found a six string acoustic guitar in the corner. She picked it up and wiped the cobwebs away and blew the dust off. Tauriel had taken pity on her and ordered for the hand cuffs to be removed from both witches. It was nearly impossible to contain herself when Jordan signed that she was ready to leave. Karah was happy for her cousin, especially since it had been a long time that Jordan appeared excited. They followed the guards deeper into the castle and were dropped off at the chambers they would be occupying.

The guest room was similar to the one they stayed in while they were in Rivendell, by size and function. There was a large bed, plenty big enough for both witches to sleep. A door that led to the washroom. A vanity with a mirror, and a wardrobe. The architecture and decorations were completely different. Here, the colors were warm and rich wood colors. Forest animals were carved into the furniture and ceiling trim. There was a tapestry hanging on the wall, depicting some victorious battle. The feeling of the tree bidding them welcome calmed the witches nerves about staying so far away from the dwarves.

The Tauriel instructed the witches on how to use the facilities and that they would have dresses brought to them appropriate for the festival. Jordan just shrugged and continued to admire the guitar. Karah attempted to get their bottomless bags back.

Karah asked Tauriel and Lomen politely. "May we have our bags back? It has our clothes in it. And since we have to do a demonstration of our magic, wouldn't it be appropriate for everyone to see our clothing? It would aid in giving you a taste of our world and culture. Once we get the clothes, you can take the bags back."

Lomen looked like he was about to tell her off for even asking, but Tauriel answered first. "I will see what I can do."

Jordan clapped her hands to get Karah's attention before the elves left. Karah read the signs and asked for her. "Jordan was wondering if we could have a piece of parchment and some ink out of the bags as well? My cousin wants to write down some song lyrics for me to sing at your festival tonight."

"I thought you did not sing in front of strangers?" Lomen countered.

"I'd rather not," Karah spoke through gritted teeth. "However, I would not like to offend the royal host. Jordan, will you please shut it! You're not helping!"

All eyes were staring at Jordan. While she maintained her own smugness, Lomen looked like he wanted to locker her back up in the dungeons, Tauriel was a cross between amused and curious. Karah was exasperated and so done Jordan's sass and the current the situation.

Tauriel cleared her throat. "I will return as soon as I have an answer in regards of your possessions. And a maid will be around to gather your clothes for washing and repair."

"Thank you," Karah responded and Jordan signed.

The elves exited and the witches took advantage of the solitude. Jordan had to jump up to sit on the bed and began tuning the strings of the guitar. Karah used the bathroom and then listened the music. About an hour later, Tauriel and Prince Legolas had returned, carrying their bags. The witches were wondrously monitored the entire time they dug through their belongings. They gathered everything they needed to get ready for the feast, from toiletry items, makeup, parchment and ink and quills, and a few other things to keep them busy while they waited for time to pass. Once the elves were satisfied that the witches did not have any weapons nor anything they thought they could use to escape with, they left with the bag and locked the door.

Karah handed the writing tools to Jordan. "Here is the parchment for the lyrics. Please don't pick any songs I've never heard. Its nerve wracking enough to sing in front of strangers without needing to remember words to a new song."

 _What are you going to be doing?_ Jordan demanded. She wanted to play the guitar, not write out words. There were songs that Karah knew that they could play without having to write out the words.

"Sending a note." Karah smiled slyly.

 _How are you going to do that?_ Jordan asked.

"The summer I worked at the Ministry of Magic I had to send out the department memo's for my boss all the time. And I still have some of the charmed parchment. I'm going to try to send a message to Bilbo." Karah explained. "I need to know if he's alright."

The note was sent and they took turns using the washroom to get ready for the feast. They were not exactly sure what would be the most appropriate attire. Deciding that they had to step it up from denim jeans and a nice shirt. No matter what, they knew they had to wear their cloaks; not the invisible ones, they had to remain a secret until the time was right. With that thought, there was a chance they would have to run and/or fight their way out. Long dresses and heals were out of the question. Karah decided on a knee length a-line, short sleeved, lavender dress to wear under her very light pink cloak with: a tan leather belt, her Paisley tartan scarf, tights, and flats. It was comfortable and easy to move around in. Jordan pulled out her charcoal spaghetti strap empire waist dress with: her lucky grey knit hat and her flats. It was a lot of dark colors, but it accented her blue/purple cloak well. Their hair and makeup was done neatly without much fuss and were all ready to attend the feast when a knock on their door sounded.

"Karah? Jordan? Are you in there?" Bilbo soft voice called.

"Bilbo?" Karah answered and tried to open it. Without the key or her wand, it remained locked.

The hobbit let out a big sigh in relief. "At last I found you! Is Jordan in there with you."

"Yes, she's right here. Oh thank goodness, Biblo, you're alive!" Karah sounded so relieved. "You got our note?"  
"Yes! What amazing magic you have." Bilbo was so happy to have found them; he knew that the rest of the company would be in a lot better moods once he reported that they were alright. "Now that I've found you all, we need to get you out of here."

"Yes, but how?" Karah asked. "King Thranduil expects us at the party tonight. He wants us to perform some of our magic to prove who we are."

He let out a scoff. "There goes that idea I had. I was thinking that tonight is the night to escape." Bilbo stated. "The guards will be less and many of the elves will be deep in the cups that we can get out of here without as much trouble."

Jordan's eyes lit up and she tapped her cousin on her arm. _I have a plan._

"You've said that before, and does not always turn out well." Karah was hesitant to listen to her cousin. Carefully, she asked, "Is it a good one?"

 _I have a plan._ Jordan ignored the last question. She explained it as quickly as she could.

"No, we are NOT doing that. But you gave me an idea." Karah assured.

Bilbo was waiting on the other side of the door, keeping watch in all directions. He was about to tap the door to remind them that he was still there when he heard Karah clear her throat.

"Biblo, are you still out there?"

"Yes."

"Alright, this is what's going to happen." Karah was reluctant to tell him. "Tonight at the party, we will distract King Thranduil and everyone else while you get the dwarves out of their cells and escape."

"How are you going to distract them?"

"We will have our wands back. Some spells and charms will keep them busy. Plus, Jordan is going to play the guitar that the elves are loaning her."

"How am I supposed to get them out of the palace and Mirkwood?"

"You're going to have to figure that one out, Bilbo. If I could open the door, I'd give you my invisibility cloak."

"I don't need your cloak. I've remained unseen thus far. Don't worry about me. You haven't said how will you escape." He pointed out.

"Um, we don't know yet." Karah trailed off, "But we will figure something out."

"We can't leave you behind!" Bilbo was flabbergasted at the idea.

"Bilbo, this may be your only chance. We both want you to take it. The longer you stay, the harder it will be to get out. We are already running out of time to get to the mountain before Durin's Day. The king won't hurt us because he knows our grandparents. We are safe here, but we can't assume that for the rest of the company."

A long pause. "Alright."

"Besides, I think he sent word to our grandparents that we are here. So no matter what, we will catch up with you as soon as possible or meet you in Lake Town. All we have to do is follow the river to the lake, right?"

"Yes. I've looked at a map, and village will be hard to miss if you follow the river to the lake." Bilbo answered sounding deflated. "Wait, what do I tell Bifur, Kili, Fili, Dwalin, and Thorin?" If the witches could see, Bilbo had paled and gone cold.

There was another long pause. "Yeah, no doubt, Jordan." Karah agreed with her cousin. "Jordan said, 'Tell them to stay out of sight. If we have to save them from orcs then we will hex them all the way to the mountain'."


	17. Chapter 17

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

NEEDTOBREATH. "Something Beautiful." _Outsiders._ 2009

Rihanna. "Umbrella." Good Girl Gone Bad. 2007

Lifehouse. "First Time." Who We Are. 2007.

* * *

Bilbo did not stick around very long. He promised that he would look after the company and get them out while the witches kept the elves busy. Karah and Jordan only had to wait another hour, during which they practiced as many songs as they could remember, until Tauriel arrived to escort them to the party.

Along the way, the she-elf had dropped something. Karah picked it up and studied the simple but elegant pendant necklace. The beautiful diamond in the center sparkled like a star. It was set in silver to look like tree branches.

"Excuse me?" Karah gently called up to her. "You dropped this."

Tauriel turned around and looked down at Karah then her hand. She touched her neck and realized the jewelry was hers. "Thank you."

When Tauriel's hand touched Karah's to retrieve the necklace, Karah had a vision come through. The strange behavior caused the elf to be alarmed but Jordan motioned for her to remain calm; she could only use one hand, because she had the guitar in the other. Tauriel did was suggested, but she was ready to act in any way necessary. Karah's eyes were blank and was completely still, like she was hypnotized. A few more seconds went by and she shook herself awake.

Karah rubbed her palms on her dress to dry the sweat off. The vision she saw was intense and quick. It was impossible to see what the outcome would be, but she knew that Tauriel needed to hear this. "Um, I know you don't know me; and you have no reason to trust me. But I feel that I should warn you to avoid traveling alone for a little while. It's not safe out there."

Tauriel peered down at Karah, pondering on the warning. "Have you come across many dangers during your travels?"

Karah chewed her lip, carefully choosing her words. "Some."

Jordan puffed out a breath of air with her chuckle. _You don't even want to know._ When the she-elf turned and began walking again, she checked on her cousin, _What wrong?_

Karah was worried and hesitant. Only after they walked down another corridor did she finally speak her mind. "Excuse me, again." The elf turned around again and waited for Karah to talk. "I swear I don't do this very often. But you've been the most fair to us and I feel that I owe it to tell you that a band orcs are nearby. And I had a vision that you were fighting them. I don't know how it turns out because the connection broke. I know it seems strange, and I mean you no harm. I just wanted to warn you of the threat so you'd be prepared."

Jordan was shocked that Karah was being so forward with her vision. She never did that! If her cousin had an unpleasant vision or worse, she found a tactful way to tell the person without making them paranoid. Jordan studied both the elf and her cousin, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Your name is Karah, yes? And you're Jordan?" the elf asked politely. Karah only nodded. "My name is Tauriel."

 _Nice to meet you._ Jordan signed to break the tension. She had slung the guitar over her shoulder with the strap to free both hands. Tauriel did not know what she said, so Jordan elbowed her cousin gently. _Karah, snap out of it. She's taking it fine!_

Karah agreed and calmed her nerves. "Thank you for listening to me."

"Why would you warn me?" Tauriel asked.

"Um, I-." Karah stuttered. "It's the right thing to do." She rushed through it and stared at the floor. Her bravery was gone after breaking her number one rule.

"Thank you," Tauriel said softly. "It takes courage to give someone grave news. I understand you can envision the future?"

Karah nodded. "I'm a Seer."

 _She can read your palm too!_ Jordan encouraged and pointed to Tauriel's hands. Tauriel asked Karah to translate for her so she could understand what Jordan was saying.

"Perhaps at the feast, you can read my palm." Tauriel encouraged. "I'm curious to learn what you can do and what my future holds."

Karah smiled. "I'd be happy too." Jordan clapped her hands for Karah to ask Tauriel a few things. "Jordan was wondering if she could get two more things out of her bag. They will help her communicate with everyone without needing me to translate everything."

"I'm afraid that you will have to ask His Majesty if you can have access to the bag. He currently has them." Tauriel stated.

Jordan made a face but reminded Karah of the other thing she wanted to know. "Are our friends alright?"

"They are where you left them. They've been given food, ale, and water for washing; their clothes are being washed and repaired like yours." Tauriel replied.

"Thank you," Karah and Jordan said.

"Now, we must get to the Great Hall. His Majesty has invited the whole kingdom to witness your performances."

When they arrived at the feast, the hall was full of elves all waiting to see them. Food and drink were already being passed around. Music was playing by a small orchestra. Some elves were dancing to the upbeat tune. It did not take long for everyone to notice the two humans in the room. It was not just the height difference that gave them away, their other-worldly appearances made them stick out with their: strange clothing, odd hair, and Jordan's tattoos.

King Thranduil rose from his throne, Prince Legolas stood next to him. The whole room went quite, waiting to hear what their king would say. "Welcome Lady Witches, Karah Paisley and Jordan Drake."

He must have been expecting them to bow because he waited for an extra minute. It made the whole room uncomfortable. He raised one eyebrow at them, but was placated with Karah nodding her head down. Jordan went the exact opposite and had flicked her chin up.

"My people, we are honored here tonight by the presence of these good witches. They claim to be from the family of Gatekeepers, the granddaughters of the legendary wand-carrier, Priscilla. I have invited them to join our celebration of Mereth e-nGilith so they may demonstrate the wondrous magic of their world." The whole hall cheered from excitement. Thranduil looked down to them with a smirk on his face. "Whenever you are ready…" And he motioned to their wands and bags on the stairs at his feet.

Karah and Jordan were standing in the middle of the hall, surrounded by elves. Some of the guards had their weapons ready just in case. Everyone was ready for any situation. Karah had moved to go and pick the wands up when Jordan stopped her. She took the guitar off her back and politely handed it to Tauriel.

Jordan closed her eyes and took deep breath to relax her nerves. She had been working on summoning her wand to her for a while and she had been unsuccessful. Now was her test. She saw it sitting at Thranduil's feet, she focused all of her energy and magic on the spell and her wand. _Accio!_

Nothing.

She was forcing it. Her magic was a part of her and she need not be afraid. Her old professor told her that she must let her power and her soul connect to successfully preform wandless magic, not just command and control it. She closed her eyes, blocked out everyone around her, and let go of her worries and fears, the biggest being the curse. If they were to see her cursed markings, she would deal with it then, just like she dealt with everything else; one problem at a time.

 _Accio_.

Her wand teetered on the stone for a moment and then zoomed from the stairs straight for her. She caught before is smacked her in the face. It was impossible to hide her own astonishment. Her face lit up in pure joy and amazement. She had finally done it!

Karah was awestruck and amazed. "Jordan, you-."

Jordan's smile spread as big as it could be. Then she summoned Karah's wand. She handed it to her and placed her own in her arm sheath.

Karah was beside herself that she could barely function. Jordan broke her out of her frozen state when her cousin signed to the king. He looked to Karah for the translation.

"Oh," Karah shook the fuzz out her brain. "She asked what you would like to see first?"

Thranduil studied the two of them for a moment. "It seems we may have already witnessed something extraordinary."

"You don't even know the half of it!" Karah was still stunned. Jordan looked smug with herself.

"Well then, enlighten us."

Karah started to speak, but Jordan grabbed her arm and shook her head. "How about we just continue with the demonstration?" Jordan nodded.

Thranduil wanted to know what they were hiding. He decided that it would come out in time with charm and cleverness. "Yes, please."

Looking around, Jordan decided her next move. She waved her wand and calmly, _Reducio_. A guard next to Thranduil was holding a large body shield, and she shrunk it to the size of a ring for his finger. The guard looked outraged, but the king was intrigued.

 _Engorgio._ The shield grew back to its original size.

"Nox!" Karah made all of the lights go out for moment. She was surprised that no one screamed, however the bright starlight shone over them. "Lumos!" The torch light returned.

Jordan pointed her wand at the ground, _Incendio_ and started a small fire.

Karah let it burn for a few moments before she doused it with water. "Aguamenti." Then, "Avis," she shot birds out of the end of her wand.

They flew around the room; darting quickly around the other elves and making them laugh and smile. Jordan thought for a moment about making them peck King Thranduil's head, but decided to _Evanesco_ and made the nonliving birds dissolve away instead.

The room erupted in cheers and clapping. The elves were happy and enjoying the performance, even Thranduil, but he remained still.

"Bravo." He said softly. "Indeed you both have proven yourselves to be powerful young witches. You could rival Gandalf with your performance. As you have magically entertained my subjects, would you conclude your demonstration with a song or two from your world?"

Jordan smiled and nodded. She accepted the guitar from Tauriel and motioned to an elf carrying a tray of glasses. She took two glasses, handing one to Karah, and thank the elf. She and Karah raised their glasses to King Thranduil, the rest of the elves, and to each other before taking a big drink. It was red wine. Both of them were used to wine, but this was nothing like they had ever had before. It was very smooth, rich in flavor, and of alcohol. Jordan only drank half of hers, but Karah finished the cup.

Jordan knew that Karah was nervous to sing in front of strangers. If the wine would help her loosen up a little and make the experience more pleasant, then Jordan would not scold her. She did not agree with abusing a substance to enhance a performance; but if it relaxed Karah enough to captivate their audience, she was all for it. They needed to keep the elves distracted as long as possible in order for the company to escape.

 _You got this._ Jordan encouraged. Adjusting the shoulder strap, she strummed a few cords while Karah explained the song.

Karah cleared her throat and began speaking to the crowd. "Jordan and I have been making music together since we were kids. She is a talented musician, being able to play many instruments. Over the years, she has made me and my sister sing while she played. My grandma, Priscilla, joins in when we are all together. The song we picked for you has been one of my favorite songs since it was released to the muggle world a few years ago. It's called Something Beautiful by the band NeedToBreath. Here we go-."

 **In your ocean, I'm ankle**

 **I feel the waves crashin' on feet**

 **It's like I know where I need to be**

 **But I can't figure out, yeah I can't figure out**

 **Just how much air I will need to breathe**

 **When your tide rushes over me**

 **There's only one way to figure out**

 **Will ya let me drown, will ya let me drown**

 **(Chorus)**

 **Hey now, this is my desire**

 **Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful**

 **To touch me, I know that I'm in reach**

' **Cause I am down on my knees, I'm waiting for something beautiful**

 **Oh, something beautiful**

 **And the water is rising quick,**

 **And for years I was scared of it**

 **We can't be sure when it will subside**

 **So I won't leave your side, no I can't leave your side**

 **(Chorus)**

 **In a daydream, I couldn't live like this**

 **I wouldn't stop until I found something beautiful**

 **When I wake up, I know I will have**

 **No, I still won't have what I need**

 **(Chorus)**

They played two more songs, Umbrella by Rihanna, and First Time by Lifehouse. For the last one, Jordan had instructed the elf playing the percussion instruments to help with the song; he was more than delighted. As the song progressed, the elves clapped along with the beat.

The audience enjoyed the music so much that they did not want them to stop. For being acoustic versions, Jordan was surprised they enjoyed them so much. But she realized that they have never heard the originals so they would not be able to base their performance off anything. Karah's voice was becoming strained, and she insisted on a break with the promise of more music after they ate. Thranduil had called for tables and chairs to be brought so everyone could enjoy all the food and drink they could consume. The witches were escorted to sit at the table with him, Legolas, Tauriel, and a few other important people. Tauriel had left for a few minutes to check on the prisoners, Legolas excused himself for a bit, leaving Jordan and Karah to themselves with the king.

Thranduil allowed them to have their bottomless bags back. They secured them over their shoulders and quickly checked their belongings to see if anything was missing. Jordan was relieved to find her grease board and marker. It would make things a little easier for her and Karah now that she was able to speak for herself. They were both satisfied that nothing had been taken.

Just as everyone one was settling into their chairs, Tauriel and Legolas had returned. The Prince looked a little disgruntled and the captain like she was enjoying herself. She had reassured that the dwarves were doing fine; easier to get along with after eating. Apparently, she and Kili had a nice talk. Karah did not like hearing that, and jealously made her quiet. Tauriel was so beautiful that there was no way Karah could complete for Kili's affections if the lovely captain set her sights on Kili. What made it worse that Tauriel was so likable! There was no way that Kili would not be charmed by her.

"He asked about you, Karah," Tauriel stated. "The blonde one asked about you, Jordan. And the one who has the axe in his head, he's concerned for both of you. They were worried that we hurt you. I told them that you were quite well and well cared for."

Karah's attitude changed. "Thank you. They all mean a lot to us."

"And Kili especially?" Tauriel asked already knowing the answer and Karah blushed.

Jordan noticed how tense Legolas had become when Tauriel told them what they talked about. She wondered if he had feelings for Tauriel. And it was obvious that Karah was upset by with Tauriel's discussion with Kili. Jordan did not realize that she was staring at Legolas until she felt herself lean back in her chair. She tried to recover from it by admiring how perfect his hair was. **Like father, like son.** She thought.

"Is something wrong?" Legolas was slipping wine from a goblet when he noticed her staring. "Or were you hoping to catch flies with your mouth hanging wide open?"

 **It's going to be like that, eh?** Jordan closed her mouth and raised an eyebrow at him. She picked up her marker and wrote to him. _I was just admiring your straight hair. How do you fight the humidity and keep it straight?_

"This is my natural hair. I was born with it being straight." He answered and rolled his eyes. "Were you born with those markings, or born with the ability to make poor decisions of scaring your skin?"

 **Oh it's on.** Jordan erased the board and wrote more. _At least I can cover up my tattoos if I want. Your face on the other hand…._

Legolas was surprised and miffed by her come back. "It's difficult to take you serious. You'll regret the way your tattoos make you look one day. Being human, your body will age and skin will sag. What will you tell your children or grandchildren when they can't make out the pictures anymore?"

Jordan merely stared at him with a half-smile on her face. She noticed the King Thranduil did not disagree with his son and was proud of how he handled their conversation. Tauriel looked uncomfortable for the both of them. Tattoos must not be that common in Middle Earth, or at least with the elves. She let the prince have his say. His words were nothing new to her, and she had long ago prepared an appropriate response.

 _You should understand something, your highness, the only difference between tattooed people and non-tattooed people, is that tattooed people don't care if you're not tattooed. It's a way I can creatively express myself; it's a unique form of art, and one of the only things you can take with you to the grave. Some people hang their art on walls, I wear mine. I've chosen them carefully and if you look closely you can see the person that I am and who I want to be. They also protect me from people who are quick to judge, like you. If you can't see beyond the colors inked into my skin, then we aren't meant to be friends. And as far as children goes, doesn't being pregnant and birthing babies ruin a woman's body? Funny how that never stopped people from populating the earth._

All the elves at the head table had read with Jordan wrote; while she sat in her chair, eating her meal peacefully. Legolas did not respond after that. He looked over Jordan and the tattoos he could see once more, deciding that he did not want to fight anymore. Possibly because he did not want to look bad in front of Tauriel. He stole a peek at her again to see what she thought of the ordeal. Apparently she had lost interest and was now showing her hand to Karah.

Karah did not want any part of the tattoo discussion. Jordan was extremely proud of her tattoos, and Karah was tired of always keeping her cousin in check. If Jordan wanted to make an arse of herself, Karah was going to let her. She had asked Tauriel if she wanted her palms read, so she busied herself with that. Looking over the lines, Karah began. "You have dealt with great tragedy but overcome your adversity. You are a natural leader and care for the lives of many. I can see that you are going to struggle with more hardships; and they will change you. But you will have a big impact on the lives of your loved ones, as well as the world." Tauriel listened intently over what Karah told her. She had tried to be quite and keep this private. "I can also see that you care greatly for an individual. And if you want something to come of it, you should tell them." That last part intrigued Legolas. His head was cocked to the side, listening the best he could. Karah guessed that the prince fancied the captain, and she wondered if those feelings were mutual. Looking at Jordan, she could tell that Jordan already knew what was going on between the elves.

Digging through her bag, Jordan found a scrap piece of parchment and scribbled something on it then tucked it into her cloak pocket for later. She picked up the guitar and started to pick the strings in a lovely tune while still seated at the head table. The elves that made up the small orchestra waved her over to play with them. She smiled big, happy to make music again, but also because it was perfect to continue keeping all the elves distracted. The witches had no way of knowing if and when Bilbo had been successful at helping the dwarves escape. All they could do was keep the elves busy for as long as possible.

The orchestra and Jordan were in the middle of their second song when Tauriel rushed out of the celebration. Karah did a convincing job at being surprised. Jordan pretended to be worried. After all, they were not supposed to know what was happening.


	18. Chapter 18

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

Many of the guards left the hall when they heard the sound of a horn echoing through the castle. A few, including Prince Legolas, stayed close to King Thranduil and their 'guests.' Jordan took this chance and passed her note to Legolas.

 _Tell her how you feel, Long-Legs._

He looked down at her, because he was over a foot taller than her, a little worried that she knew something about him that no one else did. He risked looking to his father, who was busy giving orders to another guard. He narrowed his eyes again on Jordan before he turned and left her to join the king and find out what the commotion what was going on.

The party had been put on hold for a few minutes. The elves all spoke to each other in their native language, making it impossible for the witches to eavesdrop. Soon, a guard came and whispered to Legolas and the king. Safe to say the elves knew that the dwarves had escaped. The king ordered guards to watch over Jordan and Karah, take their wands, and bring them to their assigned room.

Jordan and Karah nodded to each other while the elves momentarily took their eyes off them. Now it was their chance to escape. They summoned their invisibility cloaks from their bags and put them on, vanishing from sight. The only way they would effectively make it out of the castle without getting lost or separated was to hold hands. Once safely outside the palace, all they had to do was follow the river downstream to the Lake; Lake Town would be difficult to miss from the beach. If they did get separated, they were to send up red sparks with their wands to signal where they were located.

The king was not happy that he had been foolish enough to let his curiosity get the better of him when it came to the foreign magic. Now the witches were missing with their wands, and undoubtedly on their way to join the dwarves. He wanted them to remain in his kingdom, especially the Seer, Karah. Her gift would only benefit him and Mirkwood. It was dangerous to let the company continue on their quest. If they woke the dragon, death and destruction would only follow.

He stood from his throne and roared, "Find them! Bring them all to me!"

 **About a half our prier in the dungeons of Mirkwood…**

Bilbo was trying to be quiet while rushing back up from the cellars. It was a little bit of a struggle to keep the keys from clanging together. And if the elves noticed the keys were missing, the plan could be ruined before it even had a chance to work.

"I'll wager the sun on the rise." Bofur voiced carried his defeat from his cell all the way to Bilbo who was still a few flights below them. "Dawn can't be too far away."

"We aren't going to reach the mountain, are we?" Ori soft sad voice added.

Bilbo thought they sounded pathetic. He came to the first cell and looked inside, happy to find the leader of the quest sitting on the cell bed. He took off the Ring, then spoke, "Not if you're still stuck in here." He giggled the keys in front of Thorin.

"Bilbo!" Balin shouted astonished. All the dwarves rushed to their doors to for themselves. They cheered his name and laughed, so glad to see him.

"Shh! Be quiet! The guards aren't far away and could hear you!" Bilbo scolded while he unlocked Thorin's door. One by one, he frantically put the key in the locks and freed his friends.

"Shut your doors. It will help keep the elves from noticing us gone so soon." Thorin commanded as Bilbo finished. When his nephews were released, he as elated to see that they were unharmed and no worse for wear then him. He touched his forehead to theirs and patted them on the back. "Up the stairs."

"You first." Dwalin insisted to Thoirn.

"What about Jordan and Karah?" Fili asked stopping his uncle from going up the stairs. Bifur and Kili were standing behind him when he asked. Thorin looked around like he was searching for an answer.

Bilbo let out Gloin and Oin, then kept going down the stairs. "No, follow me this way. Down here!" In their hurry, the company mumbles their concerns as they blindly follow the hobbit. Bilbo heard the question about the witches, but ignored it. He felt terrible enough as it was, he did not need them to make him feel even more guilty.

Soon they came to their destination and they were not alone. Bilbo had to keep his eyes on the two elves that were so drunk, they passed out asleep on the table over their empty goblets. "Come, this way!" He pointed and waved them passed to hide behind a stack of empty wine barrels.

Kili was the first to speak up. "I don't believe it! You brought us to the cellars!"

Bofur could not hide his fury. "We need to get out, not further in!"

"I know what I'm doing!" Bilbo insisted, a little annoyed that of all the dwarves, Bofur did not trust him.

"Shh!" Nori put his finger over his lips to silence the hobbit's argument.

"Come on, come on!" Bilbo ushered the rest of the company. Once they were all on the same level he got their attention and pointed at the empty wine barrels. "Get into the barrels. Hurry, everyone now."

"Are you insane? They'll find us for sure!" Dwalin stated, aghast at the very idea.

"No, they won't. I promise." Bilbo assured him and the rest of the dwarves. He looked to Thorin for help. "Or would you rather go back to your cells, and try to think of a better plan? I can lock you back up, return the keys and wait until you all are ready once more. Though I don't know if I will be able to get the keys again."

"Just do it." Thorin rolled his eyes at the reset of the company. He may have had some doubt while he waited for Bilbo in the cell. But again, the hobbit had surprised him. He learned from his past and should not be questioning Bilbo's actions when he was the most successful out of the lot of them.

"Move your ginger head!" Dwalin was not at all happy at this idea when he pushed Gloin aside. He would listen to Thorin and follow his orders whether or not he agreed with them. He saw Bifur signing angrily about Jordan and Karah, not going to leave them behind without a fight. If they hoped to get out of Mirkwood alive, Dwalin would have to force him. "Get in the barrel, Bifur. Move!"

"Where are Karah and Jordan?" Kili practically yelled and woke the elves. He and his brother were the furthest away from Bilbo and already in their barrels.

"I, ah, they-." Bilbo stuttered for an answer.

"Bilbo, where are they?" Fili's tone was dangerous.

"Calm down," Thorin stood next Bilbo hoping that this conversation will end so they can get out before the guards noticed. Turning to his burglar, he asked objectively, "Did you speak with them at all?"

Bilbo sucked in a short breath of air. "I did find them. The king has invited them to the party as 'honored guests' and are there as we speak. They said that they would distract the elves so we could escape. The king is fascinated with their magic, and they found a guitar for Jordan to play music for them. They are safe here, and it sounds like their family is on their way here to retrieve them anyway."

Bifur signed and grunted impatiently. Bilbo looked to Thorin and the nephews for the translation.

Fili was in full agreeance. "We're not leaving without Jordan."

"Or Karah!" Kili added.

Thorin knew the look of determination in his nephew's eyes. He did not want to leave the witches either. He had grown quit fond of them and looked forward to them being his future nieces, for many reasons of course. However, if they were Thranduil's guests, then they were welcomed and not in danger. Their quest was only to continue to put the witches in harm's way. If they were left here, they would be safe from the dragon and all the other creatures hunting them. Once they took back Erébor, the company would come back here or search for them in Lake Town. He was just about to explain this to them when Bilbo spoke.

"They were very clear that if we had an opportunity to escape, that we must take it. I tried to reason with them, but they insisted that they will catch up soon; if they don't beat us there. They told me to tell you, 'stay out of sight. If they have to save you from more orcs, they will hex you all the way to the mountain.' Their exact words, I swear!"

Shouting from above them snapped the company's gaze to the stairs. The guards had discovered their absence.

"We must leave!" Bilbo whispered fiercely. They could hear footsteps above them, running closer and closer. It was now or never.

"Then what do we do now?" Bofur adjusted his hat since it had fallen off his head when he climbed into the barrel.

"Hold your breath." Bilbo instructed and grasped the handle of a tall leaver.

"Hold my breath? What do you mean?" That was all Oin could say before the floor felt out beneath them.

Bilbo had put his back into shifting the leaver. It would be easy for an elf. For a fully grown hobbit, it took a great deal of effort. The trap door that the barrels were stacked on opened up, and the barrels rolled and fell into an underground river. It worked! Joyfully, all the dwarves and barrels were through the door and out of the cellars! He jumped, danced a little jig, and celebrated his success; only to have his stomach fall to his feet when the door closed, leaving him trapped!

 **Oh, no!** He thought.

Frantically, he tried to figure out what to do and he luck was running out. The elves that had been asleep on the table were waking up. The footsteps and shouting were getting louder. He looked back to the stairs and backed up, hoping he would find a place to hide so he could slip on his ring. As he walked backward, never taking his eyes of their stairs and the trap door opened. There was no extra weight to keep the door closed, so it tipped wider with each step. He reached the end and it completely opened for him and he slipped to the edge and off the door; falling down into the water with a back-flop. He clawed the water to find the surface. A hand had grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him to a barrel.

"Well done, Master Baggins!" Thorin praised. He had been holding the barrels back in the current to make sure they did not leave without him as well. Amazingly, the open ends of the barrels bobbed to the surface and stayed afloat. The dwarves and Bilbo would have an easy ride on the river.

Hopefully…

Karah and Jordan somehow got out of the castle with only with some difficulty. The elves have superb hearing and the ones assigned to watch them managed to keep up with the witches by the amount of noise their running and panting made. Once they were outside, they were able to evade them because the rest of the elf guards were in the heat of battle. Orcs had charged over the protective wall of the palace and were raiding the kingdom. For the most part, the elves were trained to handle an encounter such as this. What through a wrench in the gears, was protecting their prisoners and their home. It worked as a wonderful distraction for the witches to slip out of reach and try to help the dwarves, but it was hard trying not to bump into anyone and give themselves away. The members of the company were still floating in their barrels and trapped by the closed gate. They fought alongside the elves with dropped orc weapons against the beasts. The witches were too far away to help, not that they had any idea on how to. They were worried to use magic that could hit their friends or the elves.

Just then, Kili saw an opportunity and took it! He jumped up out of his barrel and starting running up the stone stairs of the wall. There was a wooden lever that he was trying to reach. Karah and Jordan kept an eye on him as they ran to try to catch up dodging around elves and orcs.

Out of the corner of her peripheral, Karah saw one of the biggest orcs, besides Azog, she had ever seen. He pulled a long arrow from his quiver and pointed it right at Kili. "Kili, watch ou-!"

She was too late. Kili dipped, dodge, and fought his way around the orcs. He just had a hand on the lever when they arrow pierced his leg. It stunned him for a moment, the pain did not register in his mind just yet. Once it set in he fell on his back in shock. It was a sharp pain that started in his leg, but it was not just because there was a hole in the skin. The pain was spreading, like something was seeping into his skin. All around him, elves and orcs were fighting, the company was shouting to him but his mind was only focused on his leg and the lever.

Jordan and Karah tried their hardest to get to him but there were too many obstacles. Karah instructed Jordan to pull the lever after she got him safely into another barrel. Just as a path opened up and they ran toward him, Kili force himself to his feet and pulled the lever all on his own. He rolled over the edge of the wall, right into the barrel next to his brother. And before Jordan and Karah knew it, the entire company was riding down the falls away from Mirkwood without the witches.

Still wearing the invisibility cloaks, Jordan found Karah's hand and pulled her along to try to keep up with them on foot. However, the dwarves and Bilbo were soon out of sight down the river with a pack of orcs and the elf guards were hot on their trail. The witches tried to keep a steady jog, but a few times they had to sprint out of the way. Needing a break to catch their breath, they hid in some thick trees. They could hear the enemies still running and fighting, so they waited until they could no longer hear anyone to remove their hoods. It would be extremely strange for anyone to see just their heads floating in the air.

"We're never going to catch up to them. We are on foot, and they are riding in wooden barrels down a river!" Karah shook her head and sounding completely hopeless. "I didn't think those things could even float!"

Jordan yanked her cloak completely off so her cousin to see her hands and arms. _I have an idea. Change your shoes, hurry!_ Jordan started changing her shoes.

Karah did as she was told, taking her own cloak off, all the while becoming more frantic. "And Kili! He's hurt. We have to get to him!"

 _Calm down!_ Jordan laced her shoes and stood before her cousin.

"It's all my fault! I knew this was going to happen and I didn't warn him. It's all my fault!" Karah started to cry.

 _Stop it! It's not your fault._ Jordan insisted then dug through her bottomless bag. _Get your broom out. We are going to fly. It will be the fastest way there._

"Why didn't I tell him? I should have warned him, and he would not be hurt!" Despite blaming herself, she still did as her cousin ordered. Her face was pale and she looked like she was about to pass out. "When we were in Rivendale, I read his palm I knew that he was in danger of a life threatening injury and I had a vision of him in a lot of pain. I should have told him and he would not have taken such a risk. I could have used magic to pull the lever."

 _Snap out of it!_ Jordan grabbed her shoulders and forced her took calm down. _You're no good to him if you can't keep your head straight. They are going to Lake Town and that's where we need to go too. Pull yourself together, mount your broom, and let's go._

Karah was taken aback at Jordan's forceful command. She was so lost in thought over Kili, and Jordan was trying to get her to focus, neither of them heard the sound of heavy feet sprinting toward them. The sound of Karah crying must have gave them away to any wondering creature.

A lone orc burst out of the brush! It was wildly swinging his spiked club wanting to cut them down. Karah shoved Jordan to the side and jumped out of reach of the deadly blows. The orc came swung again at Karah but Jordan tackled her out of the way. She was just in time but was struck by the club. The metal nails or spikes cut up her back. It was very painful, but not deep. The creature was ready to finish the job but froze mid swing, seemingly terrified over what it did by recognizing Jordan's hidden tattoos. The curse markings were so vibrant to the orc and Jordan, she feared Karah could see them as well. Once the orc realized it's mistake, it started chocking for air. A couple minutes went by and the witches watched the orc die from asphyxiation.

"It's dead." Karah stood astonished still staring at the corps. "How did that happen?"

Jordan was struggling to pretend like her back was not burning. She accepted Karah's hand up and brushed her clothes off of the dirt. She concluded that her cousin must not be able to the see curse, even though she still could. _I don't know._

"Are you alright?" Karah asked.

 _Just a scratch._ Jordan replied. _We have to get out of here. There are probably more out there. Put your cloak on._

"Your bleeding! Hold Still, I'll try to heal you." Karah commanded and turned her around to assess the damage. "I thought you said you only had five tattoos. What are all of these?"

Jordan froze. Looking at her arms, the dark marks were fading back into her skin. Where the club struck her, the curse tattoos were visible to everyone.

"Is it a part of your curse, isn't it? It's never done that before." Karah rattled. "Your curse must have killed the orc; like it was protecting you."

 **Not good! She's more right than she realizes.** Jordan thought to herself. _I guess there is one thing it's good for. Come on, we can't stay here._

"But your cuts-." Karah did not get far.

Jordan picked up her stuff and put her cloak on. _There's no time. Keep your hood up until we get into the air. It will be harder to see our heads if we are high enough but we can keep track of each other as we fly._

They mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground. Once they cleared the trees, they removed their hoods and saw the Lake. A big dot in the middle showed Lake Town. They hoped they would be there in a few hours. Locations always seemed closer than they appeared when flying. Little did they know that more orcs had been watching them from the ground.

The leading orc recalled Jordan's Black markings when they ambushed the dwarves near Rivendell. This orc had reported it to Azog, who reported to his Master, and Master wanted the witches brought directly to him. Azog sent the orc and a few others to do just that. They had tracked the witches into the trees and glad they only sacrificed one of their lowly orcs to do the dirty work and test the power of the curse. Seeing the one they really wanted wounded, they were about to attack when they took off in flight. The leading orc swore over his hesitancy since now they had to follow them even further.


	19. Chapter 19

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

The fight for their lives continued down the river a long way before the rushing water separated the company from their enemy. They all fought valiantly, including Bombur with his impressive barrel fighting skills. Once the current died down and the danger had momentarily passed from orcs and elves, they struggled trying to get out of their bobbing barrels; nearly drowning trying to get on land. Kili was trying to hide his pain, but Bofur motioned to Fili and Oin to come help him. Thorin was anxious about continuing on their journey. With orcs and elves chasing them, they could not linger on the river. They debated amongst each other on their next move, when a man came upon them.

It took a lot of bribery and fast talking, but Balin managed to convince the man to take the company by boat to Lake Town. The company huddled close together to keep warm from the now dropped temperature. There was a fog in the air, keeping things that were at a distance nearly invisible. One of the dwarves was keeping an eye ahead of them and was the first to notice a fixed structure in the water. He shouted to alert the bargeman, whom Bilbo had found out his name was Bard, easily maneuvered the boat out of harm's way. Regardless of Bard's skill, the dwarves and Bilbo were less than enthused about the rest of the boat ride. Bard did not exactly try to make them feel any better with his sarcastic comments about their safety.

"We don't have to like him, lads. Just pay him. Simple as that." Balin was sitting at a box-made table, counting the coins they agreed to pay for the transport and goods. "Ah, maybe not so simple. We have a coin shortage. Ten to be exact."

Thorin peered over his advisor's shoulder to check the math. Making eye contact with all the worried dwarves, except one. "Come on, Gloin. Give over what you have."

"Don't look at me!" Gloin tried to play innocent. "I've given everything I got for this quest and seen no return for my investments. I-." His words faded out when he realized no one was listening to him.

All eyes had turned north and saw it. It was difficult because of the fog, but they could see parts of the kingdom of Erébor from the sides of the defeated, empty, and gloomy Lonely mountain. No one said a word. They looked onto their abandoned home, miserable to see it in such a way, but hopeful to restore it to its glory.

"Here ya go! It's all I have left." Gloin was fighting back tears while he shoved his money pouch at Balin.

The fog cleared and Lake Town was completely visible, floating on the water. The sun was starting to set and torches were being lit. Bard had demanded the money and ordered them to get back into the empty wine barrels. The company was worried that Bard would sell them out, but soon every barrel was filled with fish caught in the lake. It was the perfect cover to smuggle them inside the town. They nearly did not make it when they were stopped by the town master's assistant and guards at the toll gates. More fast talking, and Bard convinced the assistant to let them pass to a dock. With some assistance from Bard, the dwarves once again got out of the barrels and they followed the bargeman to his home. They did not get too much farther when they heard someone calling out to Bard.

"Da!" the teenage boy sounded worried. "The master has spies watching our house! Who are they?"

Bard groaned in frustration, his head fell back, and his shoulders sank. "Bain, they are dwarves from the Blue Mountains. We need to get them inside our house unseen."

Bard and Bain worked together and came up with a plan. Just as they were about to tell the dwarves, some of the soldiers spotted them. The dwarves and Bilbo took off trying to escape, but the soldiers cornered them. Ori's shocked everyone by being the first to pick up a long stick and hit one right in the forehead. Bombur had got down on his hands and knees, tripping the furious soldier causing him to fall backwards. Balin was pretty impressive with a rowboat paddle; of course, he could turn anything into a defensive weapon. Nori was fairly handy with a skillet. Fili and Kili worked as a team with some rope, tripping unsuspecting soldiers. Dwalin with his fist dusters.

What was most interesting, not one local citizen tried to stop the dwarves knocking their soldiers unconscious. In fact, when the captain came around, they helped cover up that there was a squabble or pretend like they did not see anything. The captain did not hide that he thought the were withholding information. He started to accuse Bard, but he embarrassed the captain by insinuating that the captain's wife was just as honorable as the captain himself. Everyone breathed much relief when the captain scurried away.

Once the coast was clear, Bard and Bain told them the plan to get inside their house without alerting more soldiers. The company was not at all happy about the idea, but they followed instructions anyway. They entered the bargeman's home by the hole in their latrine that fell directly into the lake. Bard had to explain everything to his two daughters, Sigrid and Tilda, while Bain helped them out of the water and into the warmth. The girls handed the out drying cloths and blankets to keep them warm while they waited for their clothes to dry over the fire. Bain came around with some food: bread, cheese, fruit. Fili quickly passed the apples on to the others, no longer wishing to even look at the fruit after his barrel ride.

One of the windows was open and in perfect view of a legendary weapon. The Wind lance stood alone on a structure that barely looked stable for anyone to walk on. Thorin glared at it as he recalled the haunting memories of the fall of Erébor. There were many factors that played out in the outcome of that terrible day. One of them being that if the archer who fired the Black Arrows actually hit its mark, the dragon would not have made it to Erébor. Each dwarf took a look at it while Balin explained to Bilbo what the weapon was for. Thorin could not help himself and scoffed at the man who failed to kill the dragon, earning him a minor tongue lashing from Bain. Not that it mattered to Thorin, the past was history. Nothing anyone said or did would change it.

Bard disappeared for a few moments and had returned with the promised weapons. To the company, the meager weapons were insulting. In their native language they argued over what to do. Bard insisted that they had to stay inside his home until nightfall so not in endanger his family for helping them. Realizing he had forgot something at his boat in the rush to get home and needing time to think over the strange day, he ordered Bain to keep the dwarves inside while he was gone.

Fili helped Oin clean Kili's wound and bandage him so he could walk. It was a good distraction to keep him from thinking about Jordan. On one hand, he was so mad at himself for listening to Bilbo and his uncle and leaving his One behind. On the other, grateful that she was not stuck in the middle of the battle trying to leave. After seeing Kili get hurt, which already made him angry and guilty, his feelings would be even worse if Jordan or Karah were hurt alongside him. He glanced at Bifur and saw that he was still seething over leaving the witches behind.

"How are you feeling, laddie?" Oin asked, resting on one knee when he finished.

"Much better, thank you," Kili replied. "I imagine I'll be fine by the time we leave for Erébor."

Oin did not looked convinced. "Alright. Let me know if you need anything." The healer rose and went to check everyone else for injuries.

Kili nodded and looked to Fili. His brother's worry rattled him a little and needed a distraction from the pain shooting up his leg to the rest of his body. "Do you think Karah and Jordan are okay?"

Fili's brain shifted again. "If they stayed inside the castle, I'm sure their fine."

"Do you think they will meet up with us here." Kili wondered.

"I'm not so sure that would be a good thing. The orcs are still chasing us." Fili stated. "If what Bilbo said was true, then their family has probably left Lake Town to retrieve them. They would be in the same predicament we found them in if they left Mirkwood."

Bifur must have heard their conversation and came right over, signing vapidly in Iglishmek. _As soon as Er_ _ébor is reclaimed, I'm returning to Mirkwood for Jordan and Karah if their family has not gotten there first. I need to know that they are alright._

"I want to go now." Kili stated bitterly.

"You know we can't go now." Fili grunted. Both his brother and Bifur glared at him. "I want Jordan by my side more than you can imagine. She is my one and I hate myself that I left her behind. But they are safe in Mirkwood. A small orc pack doesn't stand a chance against the elf army guarding its boarders. Besides, the orcs want us, not them. And we still have to a dragon to worry about. Mirkwood is the safest place they can be right now."

No one was happy, however they at least understood and agreed with Fili on this reasoning. They made a pact that they would return for their witches as soon as possible. In the middle of their planning session of how they would do it, a knock on the door sounded.

A feminine voice gently but loud called out. "Bard? I brought that crowbar you wanted."

No one made a sound as they picked up the homemade weapons and pointed them at the door. The human children did not hear the knock. The company hoped that the woman would leave when she did not hear an answer. It was too much to ask that they would remain undisturbed from the unknown guest and the door gently opened.

"Hurry, please. We don't want to warm the outside." The woman explained for two small children shuffling inside. "Keep moving so I can come in."

Everyone's tight grip loosened drastically when a little boy with short curly reddish brown hair was first to see the company. He appeared to be three or four years old and had joyful curious eyes over the sight of the dwarves in the house. Kili thought the little boy's eyes looked familiar. He was dressed in brown pants, strong buckled shoes, and a simple green shirt with silver buttons down the center. Next came a little girl about six years old. Her bright red hair and forest green eyes sparkled. She wore a light blue dress and a cream colored shirt under it, and shoes like her brother. Both children were utterly adorable! Last was the woman, and the boy took after his mother in hair and eyes, the little girl had her personality. She was wearing a grey dress with blue and gold embroidery along the collar and sleeves of her ankle length dress. Her hair was long and pulled back into a over-twisted low ponytail, but some of it had fallen out and framed her beautiful face. Her lips once held a soft smile until her face fell at the sight of the dwarves ready to fight. She was holding a metal crowbar in her hand that a normal person would use as a weapon when many others were pointed at her and her family. Instead she dropped it and pulled out her wand.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the woman forcefully questioned, pushing her children behind her.

Balin was the closest to her and held up his hands to show he was unarmed. "Bard invited us here."

"Then why the weapons and where is he?" the woman did not lower her wand and counted how many were in the room.

Thorin had a guess who the woman was. He set down the pike hook and stood next to Balin. He tried to keep his voice mild and his smile kind. It was a little difficult when a powerful magical wand was pointing between his eyes. "You must be Nicole."

Nicole raised one brow at him, "I don't believe we have met. Back home I have dwarves, but you were not among them."

Thorin coughed softly, recognizing where this conversation could go. "My name is Thorin from the Blue Mountains and Erébor. This is Balin, my advisor, my nephews: Fili and Kili, Dwalin, my second in command, and the rest of my company. I know your sister, Karah, and your cousin Jordan. They-."

Nicole's eyes blazed and she interrupted him. She glared at the dwarves who had stepped forward and bowed to her. "Funny, they never mentioned you. Where is Bard?"

"He just stepped out for a moment," Balin explained. "His children are here. Would you like to see them?"

"Sigrid! Bain! Tilda!" the woman yelled. "Where are you?"

At the sound of someone calling them, the three teenagers in question came running.

"What's going on?" Bain asked, looking between Nicole and the dwarves. "Everything is fine, Nicole. I promise. Da and I brought them here."

The little boy poked his head out from behind his mother. "Don't dwarves have pots of gold?"

The little girl did the same thing. "No, silly, that's a leprechaun!"

Nicole lowered her wand but did not put it away. "Tilda, will you take René and Gage upstairs to play?" Bard's youngest daughter nodded and held her hand out to the children. When they were out of ear shot, Nicole intently stared at Thorin. "How do you know my sister and cousin?"

Thorin, Balin, and Bilbo explained how they met the cousins during their travels. They left out much of the detail entailing all of the dangerous situations they've been in; as well as the parts about Fili and Kili claiming them as their Ones. They were going to leave that discussion up to the princes. Bifur took it upon himself to add things here and there with Iglishmek. Nicole had to ask the others to translate some for her. As they talked and with the help of Bain and Sigrid, she became much more relaxed and calm around the company.

It was difficult for Thorin to stay focused on the discussion while he gazed at Nicole. Nicole was so beautiful that he felt bewitched. It was easy to see that she and Karah were sisters by sharing the same eye color and their hair was similar. At first, Nicole was innocent and angelic. But her luscious lips and stunning eyes were suspicious of him. Obviously, she was fiercely protective of her children that she kept them away from him and the company. It bothered him to no end that she had children; well not that she had children, per say. It was more that there had to be a male in her life. Chances were that she was married and her husband was around somewhere. If he had no honor, he would find a way to remove the husband from the picture and take Nicole for himself. He wondered if Bard was the husband, but why would she have knocked on the door? The humans all seemed very comfortable with each other, just not close as immediate family. Her questions rattled him from his fantasies returned his attention back to the conversation.

"So, where are they?" Nicole asked impatiently. She could see that the dwarves had cared for her family and did the best they could, given the circumstances. However, they were still missing. "My father and grandfather have been searching for them since we were separated. My grandmother and mother left Lake Town because King Thranduil sends word that Karah and Jordan are with him. And now, you claim that they were traveling with you."

All eyes turned to Bilbo. Fili, Kili, and Bifur were the most distraught waiting for an answer.

Thorin cleared his throat to help Bilbo. "They were to catch up with us, or meet us here in Lake Town."

"You just left them somewhere?" Her tone very accusing and angry.

"It was not by choice. They were separated from us inside the castle in Mirkwood. When we were leaving, we fell under attack by a pack of orcs. It was safer for them to remain behind inside the palace. Thranduil considered them honored guests because he was familiar with your grandmother." Thorin was trying to remain diplomatic and keep things friendly, if only she would stop distracting him! Nicole was making him feel things he had never felt before, emotionally and physically, and somehow enjoying every minute of it. Even seeing her angry at him made his stomach pleasantly do summersaults. He made up his mind that he would find out everything he could about her.

"They're okay, Mama!" René called from the top of the stairs. It made her a little self-conscious having everyone quickly looking to her. She held a compact mirror as she came to stand next to her mother. "Look! They are traveling right now. You can see their heads! Aunt Karah and Aunt Jordan are okay. Well, their heads are okay."

"What?" Nicole and the rest of the of the room were completely confused. She took the mirror from her daughter and studied the vision. "It would appear that my sister and cousin have left Mirkwood." She turned the mirror so Thorin and the rest of the company could see.

Fili thought on her words and noted the blank background. "Where are they? Can you see where they're going? There is nothing around them."

 _They don't seem to be scarred or worried about being followed._ Bifur had to nudge Fili to translate for him. _Smart lassies, traveling in their invisible cloaks._

"They must be flying." Nicole concluded. "It looks like the sky behind them."

"They can fly?" Kili was surprised by the idea. "How?"

René smiled at him. "They are riding brooms! I can't wait till I get to ride by myself. Mama said that I will learn when I go to Hogwarts. But Aunt Jordan promised she would teach me and Gage before so we will be ahead of the other students in our classes."

"No she won't." Nicole scolded her daughter and closed the compact. "Please go back upstairs to play."

René started to do as she was told, but stopped in front of Thorin. "Do you have pots of gold?"

"No, not pots of gold." Thorin smirked at the blunt question, the irony. René's face fell in disappointment. Nicole had to cover her eyes with her hand by her daughter's inquisitive mind. Immediately he wanted to improve the mood. Kneeling down to the little girl's level, Thorin spoke. "But I will have a whole mountain full of gold."

"Really?" René brightened and clapped her hands. Nicole peaked from behind her hand.

Thorin nodded and smiled. "What's your name?"

"René, and I'm six years old. My brother's name is Gage and he's two, almost three. And my mama's name is Nicole, she's-. " The little girl rattled off until her mother cut her off.

"He doesn't need to know how old I am!" Nicole spoke quickly to stop her daughter. She shook her head with slight exasperation at her daughter's eagerness. It did not help ease her embarrassment hearing Thorin and the rest of the room chuckle.

"It's an honor to meet you. And as long as you listen to your mother, do everything she says, I promise to bring you a gold token from the mountain." Thorin was sincere in his promise. This little girl and her brother managed to charm him into saying things that he would never tell a stranger, especially a human. He would not take his words back even if he could. Glancing up to Nicole, he felt encouraged to continue. "And I will bring one for your brother too."

"Awesome!" René cheered. "You didn't tell me your name."

"Your right. My name is Thorin. These two are my nephew's Fili and Kili. And all of these dwarves and hobbit are my closest friends." Thorin wanted to make the introductions so the children would be more comfortable around them.

"What do you say?" Nicole prompted.

"It's nice to meet you. And thank you!" René held up a fist to him like she was going to punch him, clearly waiting for a response from him. "You bump it."

"Oh, I see." Thorin made a fist and held it strong while René gently bumped his large knuckles with hers. The little girl raced back up the stairs ready to tell her brother of the great news. He looked up at Nicole and saw her smiling at him, or more likely her daughter. His breath was stuck in his lungs and they only way he broke free of Nicole's enchantment was hearing the snickering from his nephews, Balin, and Dwalin behind him. He glared at all of them to make them stop so as to not embarrass himself or Nicole.

"Well, we must be going." Niclole announced. She looked to Bain and handed him the crowbar. "I promised your dad that I would bring this over. I need to send word to my grandmother that Karah and Jordan are no longer in Mirkwood."

"How will you do that?" Thorin asked as he stood up.

"I will send a message with my patronus." She replied. "René, Gage! It's time to go! Say goodbye to Tilda."

"Do we have too?" René shouted back.

"Yes! Come down here and say goodbye to Bain and Sigrid."

The young children were not quick in their descending of the stairs. Or rather they stomped and pouted the whole way followed by Tilda. Their fair wells were pitiful until they waved to the dwarves. Each member of the company smiled and waved back at the charming children. René having a big grin for Thorin. Gage seemed a little concerned about Bifur and the axe in his head. When both children made eye contact with Fili and Kili, they giggled when the brothers bowed at the same time; Fili even winked. Kili would have as well, but the pain in his leg was tampering his jolly good mood. The children made him forget about his pain for a little while, now it was coming back.

"Will you send word to us if you hear from Jordan or Karah, or they return?" Fili came forward and asked the witch.

Nicole looked him over, as if sizing him up over. With his genuine concern for her cousin and sister, and the other scruffy dwarf sharing in that concern, she could tell the dwarves had feelings for her family. The one with the axe in his also nodded his head, wanting news about the witches. "I will send you a message, probably by my patronus, but possibly by owl."

"Owl?" Kili seemed doubtful at the idea.

"Yes, owls carry written messages. Patronus can bring a verbal message, similar to a recording. My form is a dolphin." She explained. With one last look around, her gaze fell on Thorin. "It was nice to meet you. All of you."

"Likewise." Thorin smiled. When she and the children left the house, Thorin turned around already thinking what their next move should be. The whole room was grinning like fools at him, all-knowing grins. "Hold your tongues."


	20. Chapter 20

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Nicole's perfume is: Forever Diamonds Eau de Parfum by Mary Kay.**

* * *

"That was so cool!" René cheered and jumped as they entered Ruben and Priscilla's house. "Mama, will you tell us about the mountain?"

"What mountain?" Nicole asked in confusion, closing the door and locking it behind her and the children.

"The Lonely Mountain!" René replied. "That's where Thorin is going, isn't it?"

"I honestly don't know much about it. Maybe grandma and grandpa have a book about it and we can read it at bedtime." Nicole suggested.

"Can't you read it now?" Gage asked in his adorable little voice.

"I need to send grandma and grandpa a message. We still don't know where Aunt Karah and Aunt Jordan are. Go play and I will call you for dinner."

Nicole sent her dolphin patronus off with its messages, praying she would hear from someone soon. One worry after another was beginning to ware her down. When they had lost Karah and Jordan in the Mitheithel River, or Hoarwell as grandma called it, the searched for days trying to find them. They had decided to split up, the men continued on their search on the, and the women and children continued on to Lake Town. Her father, Jeremy, had sent daily messages about various leads. The only thing he reported was that they had come upon three trolls that had been turned to stone. They promised they would not give up searching until they had some clue on what happened to them. When King Thranduil had sent the message that Jordan and Karah were in his halls, Priscilla and her mother, Alicia, went to Mirkwood to get them. Now all she could do was wait for everyone to come back. Waiting and worrying was giving her a headache. She had to distract herself with something else to think about or it would grow to a migraine; and quite frankly, she did not have time, energy, or the patience for one.

Without taking much into consideration, her thoughts wandered to Thorin. She laughed at herself for her mind going right to him. He was more than intriguing to her then she was willing to say out loud. At first, she was ready to stun him with a spell into next week. Which was fair, because he held a weapon against her and her children. However, he behaved like she already had without uttering a word. He was handsome, yes, with his kind smile, short and neatly trimmed beard, long hair, strong and firm build. It was obvious that he was a proud and confident dwarf. What was not to appreciate about him? He was very different from her late husband, and that was perfectly fine. She vowed that if she ever did remarry, she would never compare Marshall to anyone, in looks or personality. It would not be fair. René took after her father in appearance with the same red hair and green eyes. However, the fact that Nicole found Thorin so attractive made her laugh at herself a little more.

She considered herself a wise and humble woman; having lived just enough life to learn a thing or two. Which is why she had no idea what had gotten into her! It was like some kind of pull on her to have a little crush on him. Perhaps it was because they were so different that she found him so appealing. Or that it's been so long since the opportunity to be in a relationship again presented itself. Or that she accepted the opportunity. More than likely it was a mixture of all three.

She could not help it, but wondered if he was married. He mentioned his nephews, was Bili and Wili? No that was not right, that is pretty much the same name! Fili and Kili, that's right! She did not see a ring on his finger, not that it could mean anything given that he was a dwarf.

However, she had a choice to make. Did she want to pursue the opportunity? Thorin was planning on leaving, and hopefully so was she and her family in the future. It was nearly impossible to tell if back home in the wizard world was safe for them to return unless someone went to check. Was it worth it to invest in a relationship with anyone in Middle Earth, if they eventually would go home?

Before they retreated here, the entire family worked together to gather as much of their personal belongings as well as practical items. They could be stuck in Middle Earth for years and they needed to preserve as much of their old lives and knowledge as possible. That included everything from what they learned at their schools, Hogwarts and Ilvermorny, to daily home life, even making their own wands. She certainly was no teacher, but she hoped that her family would be able to help her with her children's education. Everything was just a great big mess! She did not need a male distraction right now. Not when the future of her children was at stake!

Knock, knock, knock. "Nicole, are you there?" Bain called from the other side of the door.

She opened it and her young cousin came inside, carrying the crow bar. "Da said he was finished with it."

"Thank you. What are you all doing for dinner?" Nicole asked. "What's wrong?"

Bain looked utterly devastated. "The dwarves left our house. I tried to stop them, but they would not listen to me. The bald one even threatened to shove me down the toilet and into the water if I tried to get in their way."

"That seems like an odd and specific ultimatum." Nicole tried to figure that one out, but she could not wrap her head around it.

"That's how they got inside our house, up through the toilet." Bain explained. "Da is worried about them getting caught and telling the guard who smuggled them into Lake town. We can get into a lot of trouble if the captain finds out."

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will be fine." Nicole tried to make him feel better. "If they do, I will just erase that part of the captain's memory."

"You can do that?" Bain's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets.

Nicole grinned at him. "No one messes with my family. And if I have too, I will jinx those dwarves enough that their precious mountain will be the least of their worries. Especially that Thorin fellow." This seemed to cheer the young man up. "Now, go get your dad and your sisters. You will join us for dinner."

Bain left and Nicole went to work on putting the food together. Her father was quite the cook and loved to experiment with food. Most of the time he was successful and passed on his passion to his eldest daughter. She prepared the fish that she had purchased in the market and used various seasonings to bring out the flavor. She also brought home some potatoes and green beans that a merchant brought from farms on the main land. She was just about to put the fish in the oven to roast and start boiling the water when Bard and his children arrived with bread, and wine for the adults. Tilda and Bain helped keep René and Gage entertained, while Nicole, Sigrid, and Bard cooked.

Once the meal was over, Nicole and Bard sat at in the living room, discussing the dwarves and their quest, while Tilda and Bain washed and dried all the dishes. To Nicole, she could see how this was very controversial. Bard had explained to her much more in detail about what happened in Dale and Erébor with the dragon Smaug. He admitted the failure of his ancestor and his worry about the dragon being awoken once more. Nicole could not help but voice her confidence in the idea that the dwarves could kill the dragon, until Bard pointed out that Thorin and the company never said anything about them killing the dragon. If the dragon woke up, the chance that he would attack Lake Town and burn it down was more than plausible. However, if the dwarves were successful, the fear of the dragon would be gone. Bard was convinced it was a foolish and selfish endeavor. That Thorin had no right to put the lives of an entire town in danger. Two kingdoms had already been destroyed and he did not want Lake Town to be the third.

Nicole could respect that, given that her home could very well be destroyed and it saddened her. She did not wish her loss and pain on anyone. What was worse is that her family could not even fight to stop it because the weight of their Gatekeeper responsibilities came first. Hardly anyone in the wizarding or muggle worlds knew about the Gates that were all over earth, or where they would go. Not to mention all the other Gates in the other worlds. She would never forget about the one Marshall told her about that he found with his colleges Bill Weasley and Siri Malus in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, Ruben and Priscilla had decided to erase that discovery from their memories. They could not risk the knowledge falling into the hands of the Dark Lord, Voldemort, who had rumored to have begun his reign of terror once more. Nicole felt terrible that she had to help cover up the findings. Especially since in cost Siri so much. Bill Weasley was able to move on, but Siri was making some headway in her field, or her deceased husband's field, when it happened. Now she was having to start all over again, chasing a false trail that Marshall invented.

Night had taken over the sky when Bard decided it was time to go home. They all said their goodbyes and were just about to leave when they heard yelling outside. The citizens of Lake Town gathering in front of the master's house. Her grandparent's house was across the way, two doors down. It was easy enough for Nicole to stand on the second-floor balcony to see everything. Bain, Sigrid, Tilda, René, and Gage all joined her.

Bard walked down and stood in the center of the crowd. Everyone listened with the dwarves defended themselves, announce Thorin, and began to explain how they planned to carry out the prophecy. It was difficult to hear every word spoken. But what she could, Nicole was captivated by Thorin's words and presence. She doubted that he truly saw her, but for a moment, she and Thorin locked eyes and she felt hope and pride in him. She wanted him to succeed!

Bard had heard enough and tried to make them see his point of view, which was quickly discredited when the Master started pointing fingers at him and his ancestors. Then his annoying and creepy assistant chimed in, further discrediting Bard. It was all very complicated.

Looking on, Nicole listened as the master of the town welcomed the dwarves into his home and announced that there would be a feast. She never liked the master, or his assistant, Alfred. She had caught the assistant leach over her from afar, he would even wink and smile at her. Sometimes he would speak to her, and the last time it was a little more than suggestive. Normally she would just brush it off. However, it angered her to no end that he would do it in front of her children. She had gotten her revenge with she charmed his two eyebrows to become one. No matter how much he tweezed or shaved it off, the uni-brow would just grow right back. He had no idea it had been her, but it still satisfied her that he walked around every day with no hope that it would go back to normal.

Now Bard and Thorin were speaking quietly and intently to each other. It must not have ended well, because Bard glared at him before storming back to his home. Bain and Tilda followed him, Sigrid smiled at Nicole and shrugged. She was old enough to form her own opinions, but she wanted to be supportive over her father.

The company followed the master inside while the crowd went to change into their best party clothes and gather food and drink to share. It did not take long for music to sound along with cheering and merry making. It was rare occasions that the master opened his home to the people. It seemed to happen only when citizens were starting to lose their patience with their leaders that they would throw a big party and make it look like they cared about them.

Nicole did not attend. It was now her children's bedtime and they were snuggled into their blankets asleep. She ended up reading them a story from Tales of Beedle the Bard, having not found the book about the Lonely Mountain. Pouring herself a glass of wine that Bard had forgotten to take home, she grabbed her grandmother's shall and the rest of the bottle and stepped out onto the front porch to get a better look at the moon and stars. The clothes that her grandparents insisted that they all wear were starting to grow on her. They reminded her of muggle clothes or the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, with furs, quilted and knitted clothes. At first, it was just a nuisance, because there were so many layers. Now that it was significantly colder, they did not bother her as much. Priscilla had to remind them that they needed to blend in, which meant they had to dress like everyone else.

Taking her first sip of wine to relax herself, the master's front door opened and Thorin stepped out. He just stood there for a moment looking out from the town, holding a cup of something. Nicole followed his gaze and saw that he was staring at the Lonely Mountain. She could see the longing and determination in his face. It was understandable. She missed her home as well.

"It's beautiful." She spoke out to him, breaking the silence.


	21. Chapter 21

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

Thorin looked around to see who was speaking. He was not even sure that they were speaking to him. When his eyes fell on Nicole, his heart swelled in his chest. She was smiling at him, almost beckoning him to come to her.

"I can see you miss it dearly." She smiled knowingly. She walked to the edge of the porch and sat down on the middle of the half a dozen stairs. She would not leave the property while her children were inside it.

"Very much." Thorin answered as he walked down the passageway. He stopped a few feet away from the base of the stairs and returned her smile. "I can't believe we are this close. And that we will be there tomorrow."

"That's wonderful. I'm very happy for you." Nicole stated. By now, her glass of wine was nearly empty and it was making her very relaxed. "I bet your wife will be pleased to join you once you reclaim your home."

"I don't have a wife." Thorin answered quickly. He also had a few pints of the master's ale and was seeking out fresh air to clear his head. "Not even betrothed."

"And how did you manage that, being the handsome fella you are?" Nicole joked. Immediately she was stunned and embarrassed by her behavior. "I'm terribly sorry. That was very rude and not my place to ask."

Thorin grinned as he blushed. "It's alright. And it's quite simple. I had never come across my One. Most marriages are based on the two dwarves finding their destined life partner, the One that Mahal created for us. Thus, I'm not married." Thorin did not feel the least be uncomfortable talking with her. He just had to respect her boundaries. He was quite happy that she had started speaking to him first. Now he could do what he had planned do after he had reclaimed the mountain. There was a chance that some of his questions would be answered by her before he left for the mountain. "What about you? Where is your husband, Bard?"

"Bard?" Nicole's face fell in confusion. "He's not my husband. He's my cousin."

"Your cousin?" A euphoric sense of hope filled Thorin's heart. It was thumping like smithy's hammer in his chest, he was sure that all of Lake Town could hear it.

"Yes, my grandfather's sister's daughter married Bard." Nicole explained. "My husband's name is Marshall."

The hammer dropped on cold metal, and his hope had vanished. **Why are you upset? You figured she was married. She has children after all.** What was he going to do now?

Nicole did not see the light leave his eyes. She looked down into her glass, seeing her reflection in last of her wine. "My husband died just after my son, Gage was born." She explained as she thought of her beloved husband. She remembered his smile that he had while she held his hand and baby Gage, René held his other. He was dying from a sickness he received while on a dig with Bill Weasley in Egypt.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Thorin felt terrible in a different way now. He admitted that he was ecstatic that she was no longer attached to any male. However, he understood how it felt to lose someone in his family and watching his sister, Dis, cope with the death of her One. It was even harder to see how much her grief affected her sons, while they worked through their own.

"Thank you. And contrary to popular belief, I'm doing very well. Despite the obvious issues and that we had to flee our home." Nicole reassured him. "I'm doing exactly what I promised him and myself. Raising my children and moving forward. Even been out on a date or two." She forced a laugh, trying to shift the mood to something more light hearted and pleasant. "Will you tell me about it?" She could not help it. She felt some strong pull or connection to him. All she wanted was to spend as much time with him as possible. She patted the open space on the stair next to her. She offered him some wine, but he still had ale in his cup. Pouring a little more for herself, she left some for him if he changed his mind.

Thorin accepted her offer to sit next to her. He was unsure on what she wanted him to tell her. About his own losses? No, that could not be it. She was too relaxed. "What do you want to know?" That was a safe way to clarify. He could smell the sweet wine, and something else, like fresh cut… diamonds. It was very odd that was the first thing that came to his mind. Having spent a significant amount of time in the mines and cleaving, it was a smell that he was sure to never forget. Other times he smelled it, when he came across the combined aromas of produce at markets during his wanderings with the remaining of his people. It was a very specific combination: golden peaches that seemed to sparkle after they've been freshly picked, jasmine petals, diamond orchids, tuberose, apricot, vanilla, white amber, and a couple other things. He had to laugh at himself at the memory. And of course, Nicole smelled like the exquisite gemstone, and she shined like one too.

 **Cease this nonsense!** Now he was sounding too much like a tender-hearted poet. He was a hardened and seasoned warrior, curse it! He needed to think about something else besides how she smelled, or how soft her skin looked, or how he wanted to run his fingers through her luxurious hair. **Stop it!**

"Tell me about your home," Nicole she prompted.

He cleared his throat to begin. This is a safe topic to discuss. "Erébor was discovered by my ancestor, Thrain the Old. They mined and tunneled in the Lonely Mountain, creating vast halls, workshops, living quarters, and many other places. They found what appeared to be an endless amount of gold, precious stones, and metals. The mountain provided great wealth to my family as well as the rest of the dwarves who came and worked with them. Thrain was crowned king, and everyone, including elves and men, honored my ancestor and his people. Word spread of Erébor's wealth and talented craftsmanship that our dwarves were hired by many kings. People would come from all over seeking apprenticeships. Erébor's dwarves are the ones who built the city of Dale. The halls were full of armour, jewels, carvings, food, drink, and celebrating."

"That sounds absolutely wonderful." Nicole sighed. "The way you describe it makes it sound like heaven. No fear, worry, anxiety. Just endless bounty and joy."

"It was. Until that greedy beast came." Thorin's face and voice became very dark. "That infernal monster stole the wealth and lives of my people and the people of Dale."

Nicole was confused about some details of the tale. "You speak of Smaug the dragon like he is some intelligent being, capable of communicating with humans and reasoning."

"I would not call him intelligent. More like a calamity that should burn in his own fire." Thorin scoffed at the very idea and took the last drink from his cup. "Yes, he can speak the common tongue and form thoughts. But he's still a menace who destroyed two kingdoms and enjoyed every bit of it. It's not all about the gold, that draws me to the mountain. I want my home back, my people safe inside its walls, no longer struggling to survive. I want his head mounted on the wall in the Gallery of the Kings."

"When you can place the needs of others above your own, that speaks volumes on your selfless character. Only good and wise leaders focus on their people before themselves." Nicole stated.

She smiled compassionately at him, making him feel incredibly special. Thorin felt himself getting lost in her diamond eyes and smile. He wanted to lean over and caress her face with his hand, touch her lips with his. Without thinking, his moistened his dry lips and drew in breath to calm himself. He needed to break this spell she had on him. "What about your home? Don't you want to go back?"

"Not at the risk of my children. Then are the most important thing in my life. No place on a map is worth their lives and futures." Nicole answered firmly. "I will settle wherever I must to ensure their safety. If we cannot return to our world I'm prepared to take on the task of educating them in magic, raise them as I would if we were there, as well as provide them with wands. The knowledge has been preserved in books that I can do all these things here in Middle Earth."

"When we reclaim our home, I would like to invite you to come and see it." He explained. "Karah and Jordan know they are welcome to the mountain; my nephews having grown very fond of them in our travels."

Nicole smiled at him. "Thank you very much. I'm unsure of what the definite future plans are, with our world under such turmoil. But I thank you for the offer."

"Your sister and cousin did mention that you escaped a great war." Thorin recalled the memory. "They told us about the Gates and how your family is the Keeper of all of them."

"Yes. The Dark Lord is trying to take over the Ministry of Magic. If he succeeds, it won't be safe for anyone who is a muggle born or of mixed blood. Not many people in our world, or here, know about the Gates. It is a very closely guarded secret. But the Dark Lord found out about it and that's how my aunt, uncle, and cousin died. My father decided to take the rest of us here and close the Gate to keep us and the other worlds safe. Even if we did what he wanted, the Dark Lord would have killed us because of our mixed race."

"What are you?" Thorin asked. It did not matter to him in the least, but Nicole and the rest of her family looked entirely human. And since she brought it up, he wanted to know.

"We have a little bit of everything, we're Gatekeeper mutts." Nicole giggle. She held up a hand to list all the members of the diverse family. "Many, many generations back an elf married a grandmother who was the head of the Gatekeepers. Grandfather Ruben's father was a dwarf. My grandmother, Priscilla, is a witch, and that's how the family has magic in it now. Jordan's dad was a muggle…"

"There is a dwarf in your family?" Thorin was floored by this. He latched onto this information and was not going to move on from it. "What was his name? Which clan was he from?"

"Um, I believe his name was Tresso. Is there a such thing as a Stiffbeard Clan?" Nicole asked, not sure if she had the right details.

"Yes, there are seven dwarf clans total. Stiffbeard is one of them." Thorin answered barely breathing.

"If my memory is right and I have the correct facts, he met my great grandmother when she was coming back from my world. Apparently Tresso and the other dwarves he was traveling with had set up a camp where the gate was, and Nola walked through right in the middle of their dinner. At first they were very skeptical, but in no time at all, she managed to charm them and Tresso refused to be parted from her. He claimed that he was her One. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I'm assuming it's like a soul mate. Anyway, they married and had my grandfather, Ruben and his sister Matilda. That explains why so many of us grandchildren are short."

She looked to him with humor and satisfaction that she could recall her family tree, despite not being raised in Middle Earth. Thorin blushed and chuckled to stall for time while he composed himself. If she had dwarf blood, how could she not know that Ones were? All the grandchildren of the Gatekeepers seemed to be uneducated in dwarf culture! Neither Karah or Jordan mentioned it during their travels.

"Well, please consider coming to the mountain. I would be happy to show you my home. And since yours is in a current state of disarray, you and your children, as well as the rest of your family, may come and stay with us."

"Can we mama?" René's voice called from the door. "Can we go?"

"You are supposed to be in bed, René Baker." Nicole pointedly stared up at her daughter.

"I couldn't sleep." She came down the stairs to join them. She had no reservation about sitting between them. René looked up to Thorin, "Do you really mean it? Can we come with you?"

Thorin was speechless with the child's tranquil attitude toward him. He looked to her mother, the woman who was stealing his heart, for assistance how to further proceed. She remained obscure, waiting to see how he would handle the child. "I would enjoy nothing more for you, your brother, mother, and the rest of your family to travel with us. But there is some dangerous business that must be dealt with before you arrive."

"What kind of dangerous business?" the little girl's face showed no fear, but her voice broke a little.

He contemplated over what to tell her. He did not want to scare her, but he would not lie either. He did not do that with his nephews, and he was not about to start doing it now. "There is an intruder in my home, and he must be removed."

"How will you do that?"

"It's a secret." Thorin put a single finger over his lips.

"Will you tell me? I can keep a secret. I never told anyone how mommy-." René was going to keep going, but Nicole put a hand over her mouth.

"That would be spilling secrets, René." Nicole chided. "Go back upstairs to your bed. I will be in to check on you in a minute."

"Mama?" Now Gage was standing in the door, clutching his blanket. He stared at Thorin, still unsure on what to make of him. Cautiously, he came to sit on his mother's lap and snuggled close.

Nicoles head fell, her chin on top of the little boy's head, exasperated that her children were awake. Thorin chuckled at her antics, since she rolled her eyes and painfully smiled at him.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" René asked Thorin, ignoring the order to go to bed. Since her brother had come down and her mother did not chase them back to bed, she took this as an opportunity to keep talking.

"Only if you do as your mother says, and go to sleep. Otherwise, tomorrow will never come." Thorin tried to reason with the child.

The children appeared to have some reservation about that comment. It was comical to watch them try to work it out in their growing minds. Nicole did not give them too much time, directing them to stand up and go back inside.

"Good night, Thorin." René called from the door. "Sleep tight!"

Gage was holding Nicole's hand as he walked up. When he made it to the top, he turned and waved at Thorin with the same hand he held his blanket. His little voice finished the rhyme. "Don't let bed bugs bite."

"I shall. Good night, René and Gage." Thorin grinned and stood up, never hearing that before. He looked to Nicole, who had left the empty bottle of wine and glass, wondering if she would come back. "Would you like these brought inside?"

Nicole was staring at him for a moment. He panicked for a moment, thinking that maybe she thought he was asking to come inside the house. He picked up the bottle and glass and held up to her.

Nicole was caught off guard by the question. **Was he asking to come inside? Should I let him?** The idea of not sleeping alone tonight made her feel wonderful. When he picked up the forgotten bottle and glass, she realized what he was really asking. "Oh yes, I should bring them inside. Thank you." She motioned for the children to go up to bed and went down to fetch the items.

Now they both had been drinking, both were a little slow and clumsy. When she went to take the glass and bottle, her hands cupped his. Both of them were slightly embarrassed, Nicole's face went red, and Thorin's breath caught in his chest. Neither of them moved, and their gaze was focused on their touching skin, then their eyes. The pull that they both felt as two separate pieces connected as one. Life felt content, at peace, but joyful, exciting, and full of possibilities at the same time.

"Are you coming, mama?" Gage voiced from inside.

"Good night, Thorin." Nicole smiled caught herself before she said or did anything foolish. Taking her hand back with the bottle and glass. "Thank you for sitting and talking with me."

"It was my pleasure, Lady Nicole. I hope we can do it again. Good night." He watched her leave. He did not realize he was holding his breath until she was out of sight. He knew that he could not stay standing at her door. He retreated back to the master's home, with a happy smile plastered on his face. Nothing and no one could take away this feeling of joy he had in his heart. At least, not now, not tonight.


	22. Chapter 22

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

* * *

The entire population of Lake Town came out to see the dwarves of Erébor off. They were dressed like guardsmen, with fresh clean tunics, helmets, and weapons. Nicole stood with her children, Bard, and his children watching them load into the boat. The Master tried to make Bard be the one to take them to the base of the mountain, but he refused. Another bargman quickly picked up the slack, thinking that he would be richly paid. It was almost nauseating to watch people smoosh and fawn over the dwarves and one hobbit. Nicole had to giggle at how certain members of the company ate it all up.

Not all the dwarves were happy. One of the younger ones, Nicole was sure it was a nephew, looked very ill, certainly not well enough to travel. Thorin must have told him that he was not going with him and he looked even worse as he sat on the deck. This decision must not have sat well with the other nephew because there was a small confrontation. The blonde one shook off Thorin's hold, got off the boat, and went to stand with his brother. Another dwarf, the one with the hearing trumpet, got off the boat as well, announcing he was staying with the wounded.

Thorin was just about to try to call Oin back when he changed his mind. One last look at Kili and knew that was the best choice. His nephew looked terrible, and he honestly was not sure if he wanted his nephews near the dragon. They would be safe here. He turned to get on the boat, when Dwalin blocked him and nodded upward, pointing at someone.

He followed Dwalin's gaze and saw Nicole and her children smiling at him. He returned a small smile, not wanting the rest of the company, besides Dwalin, or the townspeople to know his feelings. Yet once again fate ignored him, and to his reluctance and joy, his wish was not granted. René had broken away from Nicole and raced to Thorin quick enough that her mother could not catch her. Thorin waited for her, blocking the way to the boat, not sure if she was going to try to get on board. He went to one knee in front of her so as to be at her eye level. They could hear Nicole calling out, who was carrying Gage.

"This is for you," René puts the necklace over Thorin's head. "It will help keep you safe and bring you luck."

"What is it?" Thorin asked and looked the small pendent over. It appeared to be some small plant, preserved between glass, and hung on a dainty gold chain.

"It's a four-leaf clover. Daddy gave it to me when he came home from Ireland." She was so proud of the necklace.

Thorin was touched by the gesture, but felt guilty as well. "I can't accept this. Your father wanted you to have it. It will help you remember him."

"I'll already get daddy's wand when I'm old enough." The little girl explained. "It chose me, so it's going to be mine when I'm ready to go to Hogwarts."

He had no idea what Hogwarts was, but smiled as he accepted a warm hug from her. "Be good for your mother."

"Aunt Jordan says to never be good. She says that's boring." René responded and stood back.

"She would say that. And that's why she spent most of her childhood in timeout." Nicole answered. She locked eyes with Thorin and saw the pendent hanging from his neck. He looked unsure of what to do about the gift and was about to explain, but she stopped him. "It's alright. If she wants you to have it, then please accept."

"I look forward to seeing you again. Take care, Nicole." Thorin stood up and held out a hand to her.

Nicole thought he wanted to shake hands, but after she shifted Gage better on her hip, she was surprised when he kissed the back of her palm. If he was not holding on to her, and her son clutched around her neck, she would have jumped into the sky. It made her feel like a teenager again and she loved the feeling of his lips on her skin. He must have felt the same way because his cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. "Be safe, Thorin."

"I will try my best." Thorin reassured. He looked at Gage, who was cuddling against his mother. It surprised him when the little boy held out his fist to him, like René had the first time they all met. Gently, he bumped his knuckles to Gage's, and waved to all of them as the boat sailed away.

So much for a few hours! No sooner did Karah and Jordan take off and start flying towards Lake Town, they had to stop to take a break. They had not even reached the shore line yet. The fog was too dense to see, and Jordan was having a hard time holding onto her broom. The pain in her back felt like it was spreading in all directions. They decided to spend the night on the beach, underneath their invisibility cloaks, and continue in the morning. It was cold, but they did not dare to light a fire for fear of any orcs or other enemies nearby. The night was not a pleasant sleep. Jordan tossed and turned more than usual, both witches only getting a little shut eye. The sun rose and the fog cleared. They had nothing to put in their stomachs for breakfast, and mounted their brooms in a gloom.

The rest of the ride was uneventful. The closer they came to Lake Town, the more they could hear cheering, music, and clapping; like some kind of festival. They wondered if the citizens celebrated Durin's Day, since that was today. Once they came close, they took off their hoods and circled the floating village. The music and cheering had died down and switched to the usual daily noise. They had no idea where their grandparents lived in the village. Jordan did not really care, she just needed to get off her broom. She saw what looked to be the town square and there was plenty of open space to land.

Once her feet touched the wood of the walk ways, Jordan practically fell over. Karah was much more graceful and helped her to her feet. They took their cloaks off and stuffed them and the brooms in their bags. Looking around for someone to get directions, a loud voice called out to them.

"Aunt Karah!" a little girl shouted. "You're finally here!"

"Aunt Dan!" A little boy's voice called behind the girl.

The cousins turned and saw René and Gage running as fast as they could toward them, with Nicole right behind them. Karah fell to her knees and held her arms out wide her for her niece and nephew, engulfing them in a big warm hug. Jordan severly winced in pain when it was her turn. Every movement felt like the slash was getting deeper and wider. The children did not notice, but Karah was able to divert their attention.

"Thank Merlin, you're here!" Nicole sighed in relief, hugging her sister. "We've been worried sick about you! Dad and grandpa have been searching for you since we were separated. Grandma and mum left for Mirkword because we received word that you were there."

"We were, but we had to leave to meet up with our friends. Did a company of dwarves come here?" Karah asked.

"Yes, but they already left for The Lonely Mountain."

"Thorin promised to bring us a gold token from the mountain." René announced.

"Aunt Dan, you okay?" Gage asked. His speech was still forming and he could not pronounce Jordan's whole name yet. However, even at nearly three years old, he could see that she did not look well.

"She needs medical attention," Karah explained and helped her to her feet. She had to put on a brave face to hide her disappointment that Kili, Fili, Bifur, and the rest left without them. Karah saw the look on Jordan's face, easily to see that her hurt was emotional as well as physical now.

"She has a booboo?" Gage asked, sad that she was hurt. All she could do was nod to him and gently squeeze his hand.

"Come on, the house is just along the way." Nicole took Jordan's other arm over her shoulder and they walked together.

They came to the house and immediately made her sit in a large chair. Nicole instructed the children to go play in their room while she and Karah looked over Jordan's back. It was getting worse. That black markings on her back were visible, and the scratch was infected. The wound was different from what either of the witches had ever seen before.

"I don't know what to do. It needs to be cleaned, that much I can tell. It looks like a regular scratch, but there is magic with it too." Nicole stated. "But she needs more help than what I can give."  
"What do we do?" Karah was trying to keep the worry from her voice.

"Let's take her to Bard, he will probably have a better idea." Nicole replied. She called the children back. Without being told, they picked up Karah and Jordan's bags, as well as one for their mother.

For Jordan, walking was becoming more and more difficult. She had not signed anything since they arrived. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep. If she slept, then maybe she would not think about anything or anyone. She was losing hope that she would save her brother from death. Then Milhauke would come for the rest of her family. He knew that she was traveling with Fili, Bifur, and the rest of the company. He would probably kill them too, and save her for last. Not to mention that Fili and Bifur left without saying goodbye to her. They had been there for her in her worst moments. It stung that she might have seen the last of the. It brought tears to her eyes and despair to her heart.

They arrived at Bard's house and René knocked and called out to him. The door opened, but it was not Bard or his children who answered. Instead it was Bofur!

"Karah! Jordan! You're here!" Bofur cried out in joy but immediately was unsettled seeing the witches in a distressed state. He held the door open for them and stepped aside. "What's happened?"  
"She needs help." Karah answered as she and her sister came inside the house, still carrying Jordan, with René and Gage behind them. "It's been a wild ride-."

They came to the living room and saw Oin standing over Kili on the table, with Fili at his side, Bard, Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda waiting to help. They had not seen who entered the house, solely focused on Kili. Bofur took Karah's place so she could go to Kili's other side and was mournful at the sight of him.

She gently pushed his hair off his face. "Oh Kili." She was so happy to see that he had not left her behind, now she was upset at seeing the love of her life in such pain.

"Karah!" Fili was surprised to see her so suddenly. He looked over his shoulder and saw Jordan standing with Bofur and Nicole. He reluctantly left his brother's side and wrapped Jordan in a hug around her neck. He was so happy to see her that he did not notice how uncomfortable she looked. Nor did he pay any attention to Nicole as she noted the whole scene happening in front of her. "You're here. I thought I lost you to the elves." Fili held her tight and whispered in her hear. "I'm still angry with you for making us leave without you."

Jordan enjoyed the embrace for a few extra moments before she pushed him back to sign. _You had to take the opportunity that presented itself._

"There would have been another." Fili cocked an eyebrow at her, then he noticed her uneasiness. "Are you all right? You look pale."

 _Yeah, just a scratch. I bet I look better than Kili._ Jordan tried to get the attention off her. She saw Kili laying on the dining table and being looked over by Oin and Karah fawning over him.

"You both look the same. What scratch? How did you get it?" He asked, he picked up her arms and pushed some fabric aside to look her over.

"Once we escaped the party, we saw you battling with the orcs at the gate. Then when you floated down the river, we had our own run in with an orc. Jordan needs to have her back looked at. Nicole thought Bard would know what to do." Karah explained. She had seen Jordan tried to hide her pain while she embraced Fili. Karah was having a hard time keeping it together between her cousin and Kili. She took his hand and gently squeezed. "Kili, I'm here. I'm so sorry that I did not warn you."

"It's not your fault, lass." Oin gently reprimanded her. "He was shot by a poisoned orc arrow. What's going on with Jordan?"

Karah quickly relied what had happened in detail while Nicole and Fili sat her down in a dining room chair. "I saw in a vision, Kili take an arrow to his leg." Karah watched him with worry. He had yet to acknowledge her, or anyone, really. He looked lost and dazed to everything around him. She remembered the threat that she and Jordan made to the company and thought she could lighten the mood a little. Pointedly looking to Fili, Bofur, and Oin, "None of you listened to us. We warned you that we would hex you if we had to save you from orcs."

"Aunt Karah! It's not nice to hex people!" René chided while she sat on the floor playing with her brother and Tilda.

Karah smiled sadly and winked at her niece. "Your right, but they did not listen to instructions."

"Not nice to hex." Gage added. He had followed his sister inside, but came back to pull Jordan to a chair in the living room. He then climbed up and sat on her lap.

Nicole was at a loss on what to do or say. It was obvious that her sister was in love with the wounded brown haired dwarf, Kili; she finally remembered Thorin's nephews' names. And clearly Fili had a soft spot for Jordan. It melted her heart to see her son so thoughtful with Jordan. **To many things to get emotional about and it was not the time!** She thought to herself.

"We should get to hex you for doing exactly what you told _us_ not to do." Fili countered, amazed at the little boy's caring nature. He felt a little jealous, but he reminded himself that they were family. Perhaps he should be taking note on the boy's behavior rather than get defensive.

"Now, stop it." Oin demanded. "There are patients that need attending to. Bard, do you have anything to bring down his fever? Any herbs perhaps?"

By now, Kili was sweating and becoming combative. He begun by pushing everyone away and tried to get off the table. Fili came back to hold his brother down, but that only made it worse. Kili thrashed around on the table, pushing and kicking everyone away.

"I have Fightshade, Feverfew." Bard listed as he searched his remedies.

"Those are no good. What about Kingsfoil? Do you have any of that?" Oin prompted as he tried to cut open Kili's pant leg without cutting the skin. It was hard to ignore, hearing the young dwarf yell and scream in agony.

"It's a weed, we feed it to the pigs." Bard shrugged his shoulders like he thought Oin was out of his mind. He looked to Nicole to back him up, but she only mirrored his expression with uncertainty.

"Where can we find it?" Nicole asked, deciding that now was not the time to question it. If it worked, what did it matter?

"It's fed to pigs? Right, I'll be right back." Bofur had been listening from and took it upon himself to find it. He was just about to leave when he abruptly turned around, pointed a finger in Kili's face and very seriously commanded, "Stay here."

Fili, Oin, Karah, and all of the clear-headed adults rolled their eyes at the absurd command. Besides the fact that he was being held down, Kili was in no shape to be going anywhere. Karah spoke to him in a soothing voice, encouraging him to be strong and hold on; hoping her words would help him. Bard worked to put the remedies away. Nicole put water to boil over the fire. Bain and Sigrid tried to move furniture out of the way and gathered blankets and linens.

Fili looked up to see what Jordan was doing. He could see her trying hard to ignore her pain while he wiped the sweat from Kili's forehead. He was so torn on what to, care for his brother or his One. Jordan made the decision for him. She watched him for a moment, then signed that she was fine, and to focus on his brother. He knew how she felt about Kili, and it made him feel a little better that she was not bothered over his initial decision. After their discussion in the Misty Mountains, he should know better by now.

Out of nowhere, they heard rumbling, like an earthquake. The house shook and the water in the lake started making ripples.

"Da?" Sigrid worried called and grabbing random items, especially breakable keepsakes, before they fell over and broke.

Bain went to the window to see what was going on. "I think it's coming from the mountain."

The dwarves' eyes went wide. Fili looked to Jordan, Karah, and all the other humans, finishing with Bard. "Get out of here, leaves us and Lake Town. Take your families somewhere safe." He did not want to be parted from Jordan again, but he would not risk her safety, or the rest of her family's.

"And where do you suggest we go?" Bard responded, a hint of despair in his calm voice. "There's nowhere to hide from the dragon."

No one spoke it, but this was the reason he spoke so adamantly against Thorin and his company going to the mountain. Bard was also to noble to say, 'I told you so.' Even the younger children could feel the worry and tension in the room. René ran to clutch her mother's legs. Gage pressed his face into Jordan's neck. Tilda had gone to stand next to her father.

"What's going to happen to us, mama?" René asked on the brink of crying.

"Da, are we going to die?" Tilda asked the terribly blunt question.

Bard looked to Nicole, who nodded defiantly at him, giving him courage. "No, darling. I won't let that happen."

"But the dragon is awake. He will come and-." Tilda continued, unable to control her fear until she watched her father pull on the metal bar over head in the kitchen that they used for hanging various items and drying food and plants.

"I will kill it first," Bard announced. He quickly pulled on his coat, grabbed his bow, and walked out of the house.

Nicole did not need to be told, but she promised she would look after the children. She tried to stop Bain, but he walked around her and followed Bard outside.

"A Black Arrow?" Bain whispered loud enough so only his father could hear. They were walking around town, and Bain was barely aware of where they were going. "How did I never know about it? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you didn't need to know." Bard responded firmly. It was not that he did not trust his son. It was that he did want to expose him to such a responsibility at such a young age. The arrow had been passed down from his father's family and kept secret so it would not fall into the wrong hands. His late wife knew about it, in the event that Bard passed before he could tell his children; and she was the only other who knew it exited.

Bard's intention was to discreetly get to the windlance were becoming more and more difficult. There were people around, some he could trust, and others he could not. He was also trying to keep out of sight of the town guardsmen. Two of them were patrolling this part of the market. Bard pulled Bain out of sight just in the nick of time. He closed his eyes while he contemplated what he should do. He hated the idea that came to him, but at the moment it was all he had, and no time to think of something else.

"Bain, listen to me carefully. I don't want to ask this of you, but I don't have any choice. I need you to distract the guards; talk to them, somehow lead them away from the market so I can get inside the that tower. I must set the arrow to the bow for when the dragon-."

"There he is! There's Bard" Captain Barga yelled. "After him!"

Bard looked up and saw Barga and at least four guards running toward them. He pushed and pulled Bain to move. "Down there, go, hurry!"

"Stop him!" Barga continued to shout in the short distance.

Both Bard and Bain and hid to keep out of sight of the guard. Their quick movements startled a couple people, who narrowly got out of their way. They knocked over a few things on the wood passageway, some empty crates fell into the cold late water. Bard realized that he was becoming further and further away from the windlance. There was no possibility that Barga and the guard knew they were chasing him from it, but if they caught him with the Black Arrow, the secret would be found out.

There was a small alley space that was partially hidden by fishing equipment. "Bain! This way." Bard stopped his son and pulled him close, handing him the arrow. "Listen to me, keep it safe. Don't let anyone find it. It's the only one we have. Go that way, I'll deal with them."

"I'm not leaving you by yourself." Bain looked horrified at the idea. To him, it felt like a betrayal.

"The Black Arrow is more important. Now go!" Bard tells him firmly.

With one look back, Bain nods his understanding before escaping the other way. Bard steps out into view of everyone, hoping to divert attention away from his son. He hears more yelling and running footsteps, and pretends to not notice, and plays it cool. He only walked a few paces when the captain and a few guardsmen blocked him. "Barga." He nodded and continued to pretend not to know what was going on.

Barga only smiled cruelly at him. "You're under arrest, Bard."

"On what charge?" Bard scoffed at him.

"Any charge the master chooses." Barga stuck his chin in the air, like he had won the game.

Bard rolled his eyes, reared back, and punched Barga in the face and in the gut. He had wanted to do that for ages. The opportunity presented itself, and he took it.

Now it was time to run again. A few guardsmen get in his way, and he's able to either fight his way through or out maneuver them of various obstacles, including boat hopping. He made it to a landing that put some distance between him and them. Running out of places to hide, he took off running again, only to be tripped at full speed by something that had popped out of nowhere. Groaning, he rolled over on his back in the rubble of large drying rack, Bard sees the town master and Alfred upon him. The master picked up a broken piece of wood, and used the blunt end to knock Bard unconscious.

Bain was much more successful in his task by the help of his father. He found a friend's boat tied up at a dock and hid the Black Arrow under a tarp and fishing net. He knew the boat would not be leaving the town any time soon, because it was in need of repairs before it could be used again. For now, the family secret was safe. Bain hoped that his father, and the rest of them would be the same.


	23. Chapter 23

**Part 2 of** **More to The Story.** **It's about a family that are the key-holders and Gatekeepers between our world/Wizarding World and Middle Earth. Adventure, friendships, and love. Part 2 picks up at the beginning of** **Desolation of Smaug** **, with a stronger Harry Potter influence. This helps tie the books together. OC's and real characters.**

 _ **Witches and cousins, Jordan Drake and Karah Paisley, continue traveling with the company of Thorin Oakenshied in the hopes of arriving safely to LakeTown; where what is left of their family is waiting for them. Their grandparents are the Gatekeepers between Middle Earth and the Wizard/Muggle world. It has been their family's duty to ensure the safety of the doors and keep them hidden from the Dark Lords and their evil magic. But they have all been betrayed and the Dark Lords of the worlds seek to rule over all…**_

 **I do not own anything from the Hobbit or Harry Potter; only the OC's and their story. All Harry Potter/Hobbit references and characters belong to J.K. Rowling, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Peter Jackson.**

 **Parachute. "Forever and Always." The Way It Was. 2011**

* * *

They were all worried. Night had fallen and Bard was still missing. Bain had come home and told everyone what had happened. Bofur had yet to return from his search. Kili and Jordan were both getting worse. Oin was doing everything he could but it was all temporary until he had that Kingsfoil. He moved Kili to a bed and Jordan to a more comfortable chair in the living room.

Sigrid had gone outside to get some air and calm her nerves. Being the eldest of her siblings, she worried the most about what she would have to do to take care of her family. How she would do that was the big issue. She had just one year to go from being old enough to get married. Her father had kept away all suitors and promised her that she would be the one to choose her husband. But if her father was being imprisoned on trumped up charges, her marriage opportunities will probably dwindle. Her eyes started to fill with tears thinking about the stressful situation.

Nicole had seen the fear in her young cousin. Now that she was a widow, she could recognize the uncertainty on Sigrid's face. And with all the help and support Nicole had after her husband's death, she silently promised that she would do all in her power to help and support Bard, Sigrid, Bain, and Tilda. She gave Sigrid a few minutes of solitude because sometimes a woman needed that first. Let her try sorting things out her own way before anyone comes swooping in to save the day. When she could not stand it anymore, she quietly joined her outside.

"Hey, are you okay?" Nicole asked, standing next to her on the balcony.

"No, I don't know what to do!" Sigrid's voice broke and her shoulders slumped.

"You don't have to do anything right now." Nicole reassured her while gently rubbing her back. "We just have to wait and see what the next day or so will bring. But no matter what, you are not alone. You don't have to shoulder the responsibilities of your family all by yourself. That's why Ruben and Priscilla came back. With your grandparents, Matilda and Pryor already passed, they wanted to be close to your family. And my parents, and me, and Karah, and Jordan, we are all here for you."

Sigrid nodded and dried her eyes and cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she was ready to go back inside. Nicole opened the door for her, but they both stopped. The sound of running footsteps coming closer gave them both hope.

"Da? Is that you?" Sigrid called out.

Both she and Nicole focused their ears on the footsteps. It made them uneasy that whoever it was just stopped because Sigrid called out. They looked around, trying so see who might be lurking in the shadows. After another minute of listening, they gave up and went to go inside.

Out of nowhere, a hideous orc jumps down next to them! They both screamed, but Nicole stunned it with her wand and it fell over into the water. They rushed into the house trying to close the doors and windows, but more orcs smashed their way inside. Everyone reacted on instinct, fighting to protect themselves. Anything they could find became a weapon: pots, pans, trinkets, furniture, magic, etc. The smaller children were rushed to hide in a corner and Jordan guarded over them. Karah and Oin stayed close to Kili because he could not fully protect himself.

An orc swung its fist at Sigrid and she landed on top of a bench then hit the floor. She was able to flip the fallen bench and use it as a shield under the dining table. Fili tackled the orc up against a wall, but it used the leverage against him and pushed him away and he fell backwards. Before he could reach for a weapon to defend himself, a jet of green light shocked the orc. It stood lifeless for a moment before it crumpled in a heap at Fili's feet.

Jordan refused to give in to the temptation of the numb, undead state she succumbed to when she thought Karah died on the cliff of the Misty Mountains. It hurt her to do it, but choosing her family over her vow to respect life was not so hard. She did not hesitate when she had a clear shot. Cursing the green light to shoot from her wand. She noticed the look of relief on Fili's face that the orc was no longer a threat. Then she surveyed where she could be helpful next.

There was no time for Fili to think about what was going on inside Jordan's head. He knew it pained her to kill. He wished that she did not have to do it, but it was kill or be killed. He promised himself that he would check over her later and help her cope when they were safe once more. Right now, they needed her bravery and ruthless fighting spirit.

Bain had grabbed his younger sister and tried to hid her under the table with Sigrid. Another orc busted through the roof right in front of her. She threw a metal plate at its face but stood frozen in her terror. Sigrid pulled her down just in time to save her from being cut in two. Bain shoved another dining bench it at its knees; picked up one end of it and threw it down on it, and knocked the orc unconscious.

Karah and Oin fought valiantly keeping the orcs away from Kili. A few of the beasts realized he was an easy kill and made a point of trying to get to him. Oin was hit by a club and crashed over a night stand. Karah recognized the flash of green light out of the corner of her eye, but she dared not look away from the orc trying to beat her with the same club. With no choice left, she let out the same green light, hoping her family would understand later.

All three witches used the Stunning Spell as their first choice. When there was no other option, the Killing Curse was a must. They were outnumbered and in such a small space, it was dangerous to use the Unforgiveable Curse in fear that they might hit the wrong person. Nicole was the last to use it. Having seen Jordan and her sister do it to protect her children and Kili, she felt less guilty. She would do no less to keep them safe. Knowing that the orc Bain took down would eventually wake back up, she killed it before it would have the chance.

They were not going to be able to take much more of this. More and more orcs were climbing in through windows, the door, and smashing through the roof. All the dust in the air was making it difficult to see. It felt like they had been fighting for hours and were growing weak from exhaustion. Their situation looked bleak at best.

In the midst of the dust and ciaos, their saviors gracefully and heroically arrived into the orc infested house. Tauriel and Legolas bound through the door and a hole in roof, swords and knives flying and slicing. The elves' elegant movements were so beautiful, despite the fact that they were killing to protect everyone. If it were not for them, the humans and dwarves probably would not have survived the attack. Time seemed to drag until all the orcs were either dead or fleeing the house and Lake Town.

"They're all dead." Bain's voice was as shaky as his body. He had to hold onto the table to keep standing.

"There's more out there. We must go after them." Legolas stated as he walked over and around the orc bodies and overturned furniture to the door. "Let's go, Tauriel."

"Aunt Dan!" Gage's panicked voice wailed. The little boy was standing next to Jordan, whom fell on all fours trying to catch her breathe. He looked around trying to find his mother to fix the problem. "She's hurt!"

Jordan's pain had become so strong that it felt like it was burning her muscles from the inside out. Nicole and Fili slung her arms over their shoulders to helped her to her feet. They directed her to a table bench that Karah and Bain flipped back up. She saw Kili struggling through his own pain all alone on the floor. She tapped Fili's arm and pointed to his brother on the floor. She could see that he was unsure on what to do so she made the choice for him. She used the last of her strength and pushed him forward.

Kili's breathing was labored. His skin was so pale. His eyes were cloudy. Death was knocking on his door ready to take him away. The only life that he displayed was fighting Fili and Oin who were keeping him from banging his head and limbs on the hard wood floor.

Fili did not know what to do. His brother and best friend was going to be taken from him at any moment. And his One was on her way as well. He looked up and saw Tauriel heading for the door. He took a risk and shouted "Wait, please!"

The she elf planned to walk out on them and follow the elf prince when she saw the pain and sorrow in the room. She stopped, unsure on what to do. Help these people, or her duty to her prince.

"We will lose both of them if we don't do something. Nothing I've done has helped." Oin stated, begging her to stay.

"Tauriel!" Legolas called, still visible from the door.

"Please, Tauriel! Help them if you can, please!" Karah interjected. She knew she was over stepping her boundaries; not that she cared. At that moment, the bad history between the dwarves and elves was completely irrelevant. She did not care that Tauriel, Legolas, and King Thranduil would rather see them all in chains than help. Karah would beg, barrow, and steal from anyone to help the love of her life and her cousin.

Everyone held their breath while the she elf pondered on what to do. They all thought she was going to leave when Bofur rushed through the door.

"Athelas. Athelas!" Tauriel could not stop her astonishment when she took the plant from the dwarf's hand. This was divine intervention, and she was not about to question it.

"What are you doing?" Bofur asked, shocked to see her standing there.

"I'm going to save them." Tauriel responded and began pulling the leaves off the stem into a bowl. The dwarves picked Kili up and laid him back on the table. "Hold him down and keep him as still as possible!" She looked over the black and infected wound while he tried to push them away.

Fili held Kili's shoulders, Oin and Nicole, his legs and feet, Bofur and Tilda one arm, Karah and Sigrid the other. Tauriel beautiful and rhythmic voice spoke in her native language while she pressed the herbs into the wound. Jordan watched the whole ordeal but was not strong enough to hold him down. Instead she took his hand and let him squeeze it as hard as he could while he cried out. Everyone could tell it was working, Karah whispered loving and encouraging words to him. As the magic traveled throughout his body, he began to relax. His breathing slowed down to a normal pace, and his coloring started to return to his skin. At long last, Tauriel finished and wrapped his leg in a new bandage.

Karah continued to talk to him and dabbed his forehead with a cloth to remove the sweat. Softly she started to sing to him the chorus to a muggle song she heard a long time ago. It was the most perfect song. Bringing comfort to her and Kili, as well as everyone who could hear. It was also her proclamation of how she felt toward Kili.

 **I want you forever**

 **Forever and always**

 **Through the good and the bad and the ugly**

 **We'll grow old together**

 **Forever and always**

"Karah." Kili broken voice stammered, his eyes barely open and not seeing much of anything.

"Shh. It's okay, I'm here. Lie still." Karah felt her voice choke and she wanted to weep.

He moaned and tried to keep his eyes opened. "You can't be her. She's far away from me. So far. She walks through gates in starlight to another world. All of it was just a dream. Do you think she could have loved me?"

"Yes. I do." Karah responded, taking his hand, kissing his forehead then his lips. She did love him with her whole heart. She never wanted to be apart from him. They were meant to be together forever. The poetic lyrics that Parachute wrote were so true to her and spoke everything she felt for him. If he still accepted her when he was strong again, she would be the happiest witch anyone had ever seen.

Fili watched his brother. Wanting to be by his side and protect him from everything. He was so lost and sad seeing his baby brother hurt like this. He forced himself to step back and give Kili and Karah some room. Oin and Tauriel were washing their hands and the tools and implements. Bofur helped Bain, Sigrid, and Tilda pick up furniture and put them back where they belonged. Nicole checked and comforted her children.

"I've heard tell of the wonders of Elvish medicine. That was a privilege to witness." Oin said Tauriel. "Thank you."

"You are welcome, master dwarf." Tauriel smiled. She knew in her heart she did the right thing. Especially seeing her new friend Karah with the person that she loved.

Jordan could hardly sit up anymore. When he was well enough, Jordan dropped Kili's hand. She was still sitting down on the bench next to him. Now her head resting in her hands and her elbows propped on her knees. Tauriel's legs and feet came into her line of site and she tugged the elf's tunic a few times to get her attention.

Tauriel looked down at the very pale and wheezing witch. Jordan pulled up her sweater she put on the night before to show Tauriel her back. The angry scratch marks from the orc club were infected and looked like the skin was poisoned. It would not be too much longer for it to reach her blood stream, and she would be in the same condition as Kili. For the time being, she ignored the rest of her back that was showing the curse Black markings.

Bofur quickly offered more the Athelas. "Is it Black Speech?" Noticing the angry and hateful writing. "What does it say?"

Jordan would not answer even if she felt strong enough to do it. She felt Tauriel's hands work the plant over her skin. The pain intensified and she wanted to vomit or pass out from holding her breath. A hand that was equally as pale as her came down and grasped hers, gently pulsating to let her know it was her turn to squeeze as hard as she needed.

Kili may have been hysterical in his pain while being healed, but he had known people were helping him. He was aware of who was with him before he fell so far from the poison: his brother, Oin, Bofur, Sigrid, Bain, and Tilda. But he knew there were other people present. Someone had been talking to him, speaking loving words. Another someone held his hand, and they were still sitting next to him. He looked over and that person's back, covered in black markings and a wound. He knew exactly what that felt like and would comfort that person the same way. He took their hand and held it strongly. "You'll be alright." He whispered.

Jealousy nearly reared its ugly head and Fili almost slapped Kili's hand away. He came to his senses just in time, realizing that Jordan and Kili's relationship was that of siblings; and he was grateful. If his brother approved of Jordan, then he was even more convinced that she was his One. And right now, she needed him to comfort and be strong for her. His urge to ask about the markings on her back would have to wait. He assumed that they were from her curse. Kneeling down in front of her and taking her free hand in his, he whispered to her. "You're so strong, Jordan. You are doing great. She's almost finished. Take a breath. That's it, slowly in and out. Do it again."

It was one of those few times that everyone was grateful that she could not make any noise; hearing more screams of agony would shatter their hearts. Jordan flinched and fought through her pain while Tauriel repeated the healing incantation and magic flowed into her back. It was working. She could feel the poison dissolving and become inactive. Her back was numb, but she was relieved of the pain. Tauriel had asked Fili and Oin to help take Jordan to the washroom to bandage her. Oin ushered Fili back out, and he and the elf worked together. Jordan's charcoal spaghetti strap dress was destroyed, so it did not matter to Jordan that Tauriel finished ripping it down the back. Oin used a special ointment on her skin to prevent further infection. Once he was done, he supported her weight as Tauriel wrapped the cloth bandage around her torso.

Fili came back with her bag and started digging to find some new clothes but was getting nowhere. Nicole had come to check on Jordan with René and Gage right behind her; not letting their mother out of their sight. She helped Fili find a pair of jeans, the hockey town t-shirt, and the lucky grey knit hat since Jordan stuffed it into her bag after the orc attacked her. Tauriel and Oin left to go check everyone else for injuries, leaving Nicole to help Jordan dress. Fili kept his back turned for privacy, but he was not leaving.

René tugged on his shirt to get Fili's attention and spoke. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, the elf's magic is strong." Fili answered for everyone to hear. He wanted everytone to know that he was grateful for everything Tauriel did. He would have to speak to her before they went their separate ways.

Gage found his courage to speak. "Kiss her booboo. It will make it all better."

Fili could not help but smile at the children. "I will."

Nicole tapped him on the shoulder as she walked passed him. "In a few minutes, bring her out to rest. She can lay next to Kili in the bed, he's already asleep." She motioned her children to join the rest of the group in the living room.

"Thank you." Fili replied, and turned to Jordan. She was sitting upright and looked completely warn out. She softly smiled at him, and he could not help his small smile form on his lips. He walked over and knelt down again, and engulfed her in his arms. He was careful this time to not touch her wounds.

They did not talk for a couple minutes. Just being together in the silence was what they needed. Everything felt right, whole, and complete now that they were together. Fili thought about that if he had left with his uncle, who knows when he would have seen Jordan again. Not to mention what would have happened to his brother, Bofur, and Oin when the orcs came. It was impossible to know for sure if the elves would have shown up or stayed to help.

All he knew was that he wanted Jordan to be a part of his life from here on out. He was going to take her with him to the mountain and tell her everything that he felt for her. He knew that she felt something for him too. Now he wanted to see the words in her hands. Being a 'distraction' as she called him back at Béorn's home was not a sufficient explanation of her feelings for him. If he had his way, they would be married before the next change of season.

Jordan was sore and her muscles were tight. She felt safe in Fili's arms and she could fall asleep. His warm skin touched hers, his lips kissed her forehead. Love and compassion that she felt back in Rivendell, their traveling, and at Béorn's made her feel like she was healing in ways that she did not think possible. All she wanted was to stay with him forever. It would never work, however. If she managed to survive this whole ordeal he would undoubtedly hate her. But as long as he, her brother, the rest of her family, and new friends were safe she could live with it. She would leave home like she did before, find another band, and travel all over. If she was gone, they all could move on.

Exhaustion was taking over and she felt herself drifting off. Fili scooped her up in his arms and she snuggled into his chest. Not wanting to disappoint Gage by not keeping his promise, he kissed her. It was much longer than their first, over flowing with love and devotion. It was not demanding, but their passion was strong and willing. The fire that burned deep within them was as hot as Mahal's furnace and the flame of a phoenix. If they accepted it and let it consume them, the new creation of their relationship would be eternal. Their lives would forever be one and their love would never burn out.


	24. Chapter 24

Wow! I can't believe I've finished with Part 2! It's been crazy and exciting to work on this project. Thank you all so much for reading this story. It's been exhilarating to have people read my work; especially since I've never let anyone see any original writing until I started More to the Story. I'm still not sure if this will be a four part story or only three. It will depend on how the early chapters of Part 3 unfold. Regardless, thank you all so much for you support. To those who have left reviews and comments, your thoughts and ideas have been very helpful. And as always I would love to hear more from you. Best wishes and take care!

Love,

Sally


	25. Chapter 25

Hey Amazing Reader!

I'm so happy to announce that I am posting the first chapter of More to the Story: Part 3! I'm so excited to continue the story and I hope you can all forgive me for keeping you waiting so long. Thank you for your love and support. As always, I'd love to hear what you think, so please read and review. Best wishes and take care!

Love,  
Sally


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